Posted on 15 October 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 634
(Post by CAAI News Media)
“Phnom Penh: The Minister of Defense, Deputy Prime Minister Tea Banh, announced on Tuesday morning, 13 October 2009, that in the near future, Cambodia will have nuclear power plants to generate electricity.
“This remark was made by Deputy Prime Minister Tea Banh during a session of the National Assembly, as he appeared there to defend a draft law about the prohibition of chemical, nuclear, biological, and radioactive weapons.
“Recognizing the destruction caused by the explosion of a nuclear power plants in Russia previously, Mr. Tea Banh explained to the session of the National Assembly that nuclear power is very useful serving peaceful purposes to make a strong contribution, developing a country. Previously, a nuclear power plants generating electricity had exploded in the Soviet Union [in Chernobyl in 1986], and radioactive substances spread and destroyed human lives. But based on that experience, the use of nuclear power has advanced considerably. At present, nuclear power is considered as a source of energy that can be set up to produce electricity, along with proper management, for peaceful purposes and for the development of a country. However, Deputy Prime Minister Tea Banh did not give any details about any plan to generate electricity in Cambodia in the future by using nuclear power.
“Also, during the National Assembly session on Tuesday morning, the members of the National Assembly began to check and adopt a draft law about the ban of chemical, nuclear, biological, and radioactive weapons.
“This draft, as claimed by the Deputy Prime Minister, aims to completely prohibit, in the Kingdom of Cambodia, the manufacture, possession, use, and transport of chemical, nuclear, biological, and radioactive weapons, and of chemical substances that are used to create such weapons.
“Deputy Prime Minister Tea Banh added that this law also intends to ensure security and public order, to protect the environment and citizens’ well-being, as well as to protect the security and peace in the region and in the world.
“The draft with 13 chapters and 32 articles requires the establishment of a national authority for combating chemical weapons with the Minister of Defense as head and with involvement from relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, and the Ministry of Agriculture.
“The draft prohibits chemical and other specific weapons systems, and also states the penalties that threaten the offenders, to serve 20 to 30 years in prison, or for life, if they are found guilty of intentionally manufacturing, possessing, transporting, or using chemical, nuclear, biological, and radioactive weapons.
“Besides, a person that intentionally manufactures, buys, sells, possesses, stores, transfers, transports, or uses chemical substances in the health sector, in industry, mines, energy, agriculture, research, and other peaceful contexts, without the permission from relevant institutions or ministries, will be fined from Riel 20 million to Riel 50 million [approx. US$5,000 to US$12,500].
“The new law banning chemical weapons allows the use of chemical, nuclear, biological, and radioactive substances in the health sector, and in industrial, mineral, energy, agriculture, researche, and other peaceful activities and have a permission from the relevant institutions.
“Also, yesterday the National Assembly session checked and approved 17 articles of the draft law banning weapons of mass desctruction. The National Assembly will check and approve the overall content of this draft on Wednesday morning of 14 October 2009.”
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #5020, 14.10.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
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