Friday, May 4, 2012

Cambodia and U.N. hold a constructive meeting on the progress of the ECCC


PHNOM PENH, May 4, 2012 (PRU) – The United Nations Special Expert agreed with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Sok An on Friday the issues on the succession of a new U.N. co- investigating judge, the funding requirement of the ECCC, and the needed expeditious work of the Court.

It was a fruitful meeting as both sides have shared the same views for the success of the Extraordinary Chambers within the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC).

Ambassador David Scheffer, Special Expert to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, told His Excellency Dr. Sok An that the U.N. would soon send names of U.N. nominees for the Royal Government of Cambodia for consideration by the Supreme Council of Magistracy (SCM) to replace judge Laurent Kasper-Ansermet who resigned last month, and a new reserve international co-investigating judge.

Ambassador Scheffer also informed His Excellency Dr. Sok An, who is also Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, that he has been working quite hard on fund raising by talking to governments in Europe and Asia and hoped that the ECCC’s friends would come up with more financial support.

Both sides also agreed that the court needs to speed up its work in an effective way, a move that will satisfy all stakeholders who wanted to see the court to accomplish its goal faster of achieving a historic achievement in serving the interests of justice and the victims.