Tuesday, 29 June 2010

UN Envoy Apologizes for Remarks

Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
Monday, 28 June 2010

via Khmer NZ News Media

Photo: AP
U.N. special rapporteur Surya Subedi walks through a Cambodian national flag upon his arrival at the U.N. headquarter in Phnom Penh.

“I did not escape the meeting with [Subedi],” Hun Sen said. “I had no other reason other than my own health problems, which caused an abrupt cancellation of the meeting.”

The UN’s human rights rapporteur, Surya Subedi, has sent a letter of apology to Prime Minister Hun Sen after he made a statement deeply critical of the court system and claiming he was “disappointed” the premier canceled a scheduled visit on his trip.

Hun Sen, who has had rocky relations with similar envoy’s in the past, said the remarks were impolite and disrespectful following a 10-day visit this month.

Subdei sent an apology and well wishes for healthy recovery in a June 21 letter, said Koy Kuong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Hun Sen has responded and the “controversy” will be “abased,” the spokesman said.

Riona Judge McCormack, a spokesman for the UN’s office of human rights in Phnom Penh, said Subedi’s letter also outlined “the matters he would have discussed with the prime minister if they had met.”

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