Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PHNOMPENH2212
2006-12-21 01:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Phnom Penh
Cable title:
UPDATE ON CAMBODIA'S CWC STATUS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0013 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHPF #2212 3550120 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 210120Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7735 INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 2251 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 0286 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3112 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1562 RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA PRIORITY 0001
UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 002212
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, IO, ISN/CB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM CWC KTIA PREL CB
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON CAMBODIA'S CWC STATUS
REF: A. A) PHNOM PENH 2142
B. B) STATE 193643
UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 002212
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, IO, ISN/CB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM CWC KTIA PREL CB
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON CAMBODIA'S CWC STATUS
REF: A. A) PHNOM PENH 2142
B. B) STATE 193643
1. (SBU) On December 20, Acting DCM met with Lt. General
Chau Phirun, Director General of the MOD's General Department
of Material and Technique; Major General Chey Son, Chief of
the Directorate of Chemical Protection, and his deputy, Lt.
Colonel Yin Sothy. Acting DCM reviewed reftel B demarche
points, summarizing USG interest in Cambodia's progress
towards establishing a National Authority and submitting a
national plan to the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW),as well as developing draft penal
legislation.
2. (SBU) MG Chey Son confirmed the MFA's response to us
(reftel A) that a National Authority had been established
earlier in 2006 by royal decree; the National Chemical
Weapons Authority (NCWA) is chaired by the Minister of
Defense. Chey Son provided the Embassy with a copy of the
decree, which lists the participating ministries and
government officials. Chey Con noted that Cambodia has
participated in numerous regional and international workshops
and conferences on the subject of chemical, nuclear, and
biological weapons since 2003. He noted that Cambodia became
signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention and joined the
OPCW in 2005. Since joining, the RGC has sent two reports to
the OPCW concerning the organization of the NCWA as well as
an implementation action plan for the NCWA's roles,
functions, and duties. Chey Son added that the OPCW has
sponsored three workshops in Cambodia -- one in 2005 and two
in 2006. OPCW has promised financial assistance amounting to
15,000 Euros to the NCWA, of which 6,000 Euros have already
been provided. The OPCW funds, as well as Japanese
government assistance, have been used to buy three scanners
to test chemical substances. The scanners have been
installed at the Phnom Penh airport, the port of
Sihanoukville, and the land border crossing with Vietnam at
Bavette.
3. (SBU) LG Chau Phirun said that Cambodia will address
chemical weapons in conjunction with nuclear and biological
weapons in the context of the NCWA, as the national body has
the responsibility for the control over all such weapons. He
explained that the Australian and Japanese governments have
provided limited technical and material assistance to the
NCWA. He said that the NCWA needs further help in several
areas: first, the RGC requires legislation criminalizing
activities prohibited by a number of UN conventions related
to WMD to which Cambodia is a signatory country. Chau Phirun
noted that Cambodia does not plan to draft legislation
exclusively for chemical weapons; rather, it seeks
legislation that will enable Cambodia to meet its obligations
not just on the CWC, but on other conventions as well.
Cambodia has already requested the OPCW to assist through the
provision of a legal advisor to help with the drafting of
such legislation, but the OPCW has not yet responded to the
Cambodian government request, he said. A second area where
the RGC could use help is in the area of human resources and
capacity building within the NCWA. The RGC envisions the
NCWA having a staff of 100 personnel. Finally, the MOD is in
the process of building a technical school due to be
completed in 2007, which will include a chemical protection
component. To date, there is no equipment or laboratory
supplies for this portion of the school. LG Chau Phirun
added that the RGC would like to have additional scanners at
other sites in Cambodia, but lacks the funding to buy them.
4. (SBU) From our conversation, it appears that the RGC is
still in the early stages of meeting its obligations under
the CWC but has made some progress. Notably, the National
Authority exists on paper, but has yet to realize its
organizational structure due to budgetary limitations.
According to MG Chey Son, his office has received copies of
model legislation from the OPCW, Australia and Japan, but has
made little progress because the drafts are reportedly in
English and not the Khmer language.
MUSSOMELI
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, IO, ISN/CB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM CWC KTIA PREL CB
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON CAMBODIA'S CWC STATUS
REF: A. A) PHNOM PENH 2142
B. B) STATE 193643
1. (SBU) On December 20, Acting DCM met with Lt. General
Chau Phirun, Director General of the MOD's General Department
of Material and Technique; Major General Chey Son, Chief of
the Directorate of Chemical Protection, and his deputy, Lt.
Colonel Yin Sothy. Acting DCM reviewed reftel B demarche
points, summarizing USG interest in Cambodia's progress
towards establishing a National Authority and submitting a
national plan to the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW),as well as developing draft penal
legislation.
2. (SBU) MG Chey Son confirmed the MFA's response to us
(reftel A) that a National Authority had been established
earlier in 2006 by royal decree; the National Chemical
Weapons Authority (NCWA) is chaired by the Minister of
Defense. Chey Son provided the Embassy with a copy of the
decree, which lists the participating ministries and
government officials. Chey Con noted that Cambodia has
participated in numerous regional and international workshops
and conferences on the subject of chemical, nuclear, and
biological weapons since 2003. He noted that Cambodia became
signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention and joined the
OPCW in 2005. Since joining, the RGC has sent two reports to
the OPCW concerning the organization of the NCWA as well as
an implementation action plan for the NCWA's roles,
functions, and duties. Chey Son added that the OPCW has
sponsored three workshops in Cambodia -- one in 2005 and two
in 2006. OPCW has promised financial assistance amounting to
15,000 Euros to the NCWA, of which 6,000 Euros have already
been provided. The OPCW funds, as well as Japanese
government assistance, have been used to buy three scanners
to test chemical substances. The scanners have been
installed at the Phnom Penh airport, the port of
Sihanoukville, and the land border crossing with Vietnam at
Bavette.
3. (SBU) LG Chau Phirun said that Cambodia will address
chemical weapons in conjunction with nuclear and biological
weapons in the context of the NCWA, as the national body has
the responsibility for the control over all such weapons. He
explained that the Australian and Japanese governments have
provided limited technical and material assistance to the
NCWA. He said that the NCWA needs further help in several
areas: first, the RGC requires legislation criminalizing
activities prohibited by a number of UN conventions related
to WMD to which Cambodia is a signatory country. Chau Phirun
noted that Cambodia does not plan to draft legislation
exclusively for chemical weapons; rather, it seeks
legislation that will enable Cambodia to meet its obligations
not just on the CWC, but on other conventions as well.
Cambodia has already requested the OPCW to assist through the
provision of a legal advisor to help with the drafting of
such legislation, but the OPCW has not yet responded to the
Cambodian government request, he said. A second area where
the RGC could use help is in the area of human resources and
capacity building within the NCWA. The RGC envisions the
NCWA having a staff of 100 personnel. Finally, the MOD is in
the process of building a technical school due to be
completed in 2007, which will include a chemical protection
component. To date, there is no equipment or laboratory
supplies for this portion of the school. LG Chau Phirun
added that the RGC would like to have additional scanners at
other sites in Cambodia, but lacks the funding to buy them.
4. (SBU) From our conversation, it appears that the RGC is
still in the early stages of meeting its obligations under
the CWC but has made some progress. Notably, the National
Authority exists on paper, but has yet to realize its
organizational structure due to budgetary limitations.
According to MG Chey Son, his office has received copies of
model legislation from the OPCW, Australia and Japan, but has
made little progress because the drafts are reportedly in
English and not the Khmer language.
MUSSOMELI