The Cambodian strongman is no stranger to manipulating U.N. processes; he very deftly clung to power after U.N.-organized elections in the early 1990s

Cambodia's Strongman

Sovereignty strikes back

Thursday, October 28, 2010
By David Bosco
Foreign Policy

At a meeting this week in Cambodia, U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki-moon got an earful from Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen, who insisted that the U.N. tribunal currently trying former members of the Khmer Rouge regime wrap up its work. The Cambodian strongman is no stranger to manipulating U.N. processes; he very deftly clung to power after U.N.-organized elections in the early 1990s. Now he's arguing that continued investigations might jeopardize national security and exacerbate deepening political divisions within the government.

The Cambodia tribunal is designed to be free from political pressure but would have a tough time operating in the face of active government opposition. Ban today put the best face on the situation:
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