Mandate from key UN bodies needed to restart talks on Khmer Rouge trials – Annan

Responding to the latest moves by the Government of Cambodia on the issue of a trial for Khmer Rouge leaders, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today said Phnom Penh should seek a mandate from key UN bodies to allow him to restart talks on this subject.

"It is the Secretary-General's view that it is now for Cambodia and interested Member States to pursue this matter in the General Assembly or the Security Council with a view to obtaining the appropriate mandate," a spokesman for Mr. Annan said in a statement, announcing that the Secretary-General had sent a letter on Tuesday to Prime Minister Hun Sen in response to the latest communication from Mr. Hun Sen.

Since 8 February, when the Secretary-General ended negotiations with the Cambodian Government, Phnom Penh has made statements indicating that it was prepared, in order to meet the UN's concerns, to amend the Law on the Extraordinary Chambers to try the Leaders of Khmer Rouge. Following Mr. Annan's decision, some Member States have also engaged in a dialogue with the Government of Cambodia with a view to finding a solution that would put the United Nations in a position to be able to contribute to bringing the leaders of Khmer Rouge to justice.

According to Mr. Annan's spokesman, in late June, the Secretary-General received a telephone call from Mr. Hun Sen, after which he also received and responded to a letter from the Prime Minister. Today's response by Mr. Annan followed the second letter from Mr. Hun Sen.

"In these communications the Secretary-General made it clear that in order for him to engage in further negotiations, he needs a clear mandate from either the General Assembly or the Security Council," Mr. Annan's spokesman, Fred Eckhard, said in the statement.

"If such a mandate were given, the Secretary-General would be prepared to engage in further talks with the Government in order to fulfil the mandate," he noted. "As a sovereign State, Cambodia has the responsibility for the trial while the international community, through the United Nations or otherwise, can help provided that the Government demonstrates its preparedness to ensure the observance of international standards of justice."