Cambodia to send 200 military engineers, de-miners to Lebanon in October

via khmer NZ

July 18, 2010

A top Cambodian minister said on Saturday that Cambodia is ready to send 150 military engineers along with another 50 de-miners, as part of the U.N. request, to assist U.N. operation in Lebanon.

Prak Sokhon, deputy minister of the Council of Ministers and also Chairman for national committee in charges of sending Cambodian troops for U.N. peace keeping operation, told reporters that the group will leave for Lebanon in October this year.

"They will help Lebanese to build bridges, roads and buildings, " Prak Sokhon said on the same day as Cambodia hosted a large- scale peacekeeping drill with participation of more than 700 military personnel from 24 countries.

The drill, called "Angkor Sentinel 2010," was co-hosted by the United States, and focused on the contribution of the developing countries to UN peacekeeping operations.

"The U.N. personnel helped us to organize the Cambodian election in 1993, it is now for us to help other countries for humanitarian assistance within the U.N. mandate," said Prak Sokhon.

Cambodia sent 557 peacekeeping troops in total since 2006 to clear mines in three war-torn African nations, namely Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic. The Cambodian military personnel and de-miners, who were dispatched to fulfill mission under the U. N. umbrella in the three African nations, have been rotated every year.

Prak Sokhon said there are now 52 Cambodian military de-miners working in Sudan and 42 others de-miners in Chad.

Source: Xinhua