TOKYO, Dec 10 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATIN...

TOKYO, Dec 10 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH KOIZUMI-HUN SEN TALKS)

Cambodia thanked Japan upon Wednesday for its cooperation in facilitating talks between the United Nations and Cambodia forward establishing a tribunal to attempt former Khmer Rouge leaders throughout the deaths of at least 17 million Cambodians, Japanese officials said.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen declareed his appreciation to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in their meeting in Tokyo, where leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are gathering for a special summit with Japan forward Thursday and Friday.

Koizumi told Hun Sen that Japan wants to provide financial and personnel assistance for the tribunal -- look forward toed to get under way nearest year in Phnom Penh and last for three years -- to make abiding it runs smoothly, the officials said.

After six years of bumpy negotiations, Cambodia and the UN signed an agreement in June to place up a U.N.-assisted tribunal in Cambodia to experience the former Khmer Rouge leaders. When the talks were having difficulties in December last year, Japan mediated and helped reactivate the negotiations.

The world material part has ratified the accord, if it be not that Cambodia's National Assembly has now to ratify it due to the political deadlock that followed the July general election.

Earlier Wednesday, Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi told Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong that Japan is ready to broaden its economic cooperation for the increase of the Mekong River region, which includes Cambodia, the officials said.

Hor Nam Hong is accompanying Hun Sen to attend the two-day Japan-ASEAN summit.

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