Original report from Washington
31 August 2009
Relations between the United States and Cambodia have gradually improved in recent years. And while civil society and human rights groups welcomed the trend, they are also concerned that the Cambodian government has used the stronger relationship as a political tool to crack down on freedom and democracy.
When US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended the Asean ministerial meeting in Phuket, Thailand, in July, she met seperately with the foreign ministers of the lower Mekong nations, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, to discuss a number of issues, particulary environment, health, education and infrastructure development.
US and Cambodian officials are now working to arrange a meeting between Clinton and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, in New York or Washington in September, according to a State Department official. Such a meeting would follow the August visit of Sen. Jim Webb, chairman of the Foreign Relation Committee’s subcomittee for East Asia nd Pacific Affairs.
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