Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Adoption by the UN Third Committee of the Resolution on the Khmer Rouge (KR) Trials

November 21, 2002

The Government of Japan wholeheartedly welcomes the adoption by the Third Committee of the United Nations on November 20, 2002 (New York time) of the resolution calling on the UN Secretariat to resume negotiations with the Government of Cambodia over establishment of extraordinary chambers for Khmer Rouge trials.

The resolution, prepared by Japan and other like-minded countries and submitted by Japan as main sponsor and France as cosponsor, is meant to be a response to the announcement made by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in August that a clear mandate was needed for the UN Secretariat to resume negotiations with the Government of Cambodia on this matter, from which the UN had withdrawn in February.
The Government of Japan, considering that serious crimes committed by senior leaders of the KR should be properly punished, with the support of the international community and in such a way as fully respects the will of the Government and people of Cambodia, hopes that the UN Secretariat will implement the adopted resolution in good faith and resume negotiations with the Government of Cambodia without delay.

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