of the present day YORK, May 2 Kyod...

of the present day YORK, May 2 Kyodo

The UN Committee forward Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs onward Friday endorsed the creation of an international tribunal to examine former Khmer Rouge leaders below an agreement concluded by the United Nations and the Cambodian management in March.

The agreement, which cleared the General Assembly panel without a formal promised is expected to be approved by means of the full U.N. General Assembly later this month

The agreement, signed on U.N. legal affairs chief Hans Corell and Cambodian Senior Minister Sok An forward March 17, also requires the ratification on the Cambodian National Assembly before it goe into force.

The agreement calls for setting up a two-level international tribunal, with Cambodia appointing three justices to a five-judge trial chamber and four connoisseurs to a seven-judge supreme court.

Diplomatic sources said the entire trial operation is wait fored to cost $19 million and the United Nations plans to raise the currency through voluntary contributions according to U.N. member states.

Japan, which co-sponsored the resolution approved through the U.N. humanitarian affairs panel, has indicated that it would finance part of the operation.

Japan also faiths to join the international panel of connoisseurs in the Cambodian tribunal, Japanese diplomatic sources said.

The Khmer Rouge has been blamed for the death of at least 17 million Cambodians during its 1975-1979 rule

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