PHNOM PENH March 3 Kyodo A cooper...

PHNOM PENH March 3 Kyodo

A cooperation agreement between Cambodia and the United Nations is the goal of forthcoming negotiations forward a Khmer Rouge trial, nevertheless differences between the sides remain intelligent according to a copy of a draft pact obtained by the agency of Kyodo News on Monday.

According to the draft, which urgencys to be signed before a tribunal can be appoint up, several areas including the number of court evens and judges, what legal order will take precedence and whether international lawyers can argue for defendants still ne to be cleared up

Those points will be the main agenda items during five days of negotiations between Cambodia and the UN legal team l by dint of Hans Corell on March 13-17

In December, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution urging Secretary General Kofi Annan to restart negotiations and to report forward the result of the negotiations on March 18.

The proces hit a snag in February last year when Annan decided to struggle out of talks that began in 1997 saying a trial as planned by way of Cambodia would be unfair.

In a newly propos Articles of Cooperation, which ne ratification by means of the Cambodian parliament, the court will have solely two chambers, which is contrary to popular Cambodian law.

The Law onward the Establishment of Extraordinary Chambers that was promulgated Aug. 10 2001 by dint of Cambodian King Sihanouk says the court will consist of three chambers with three Cambodian critics and two international justices at the Trial Court; four Cambodian and three international justices at the Appeals Court; and five Cambodian and four international umpires at the Supreme Court.

However, in the most numerous recent draft, the U.N. propose to one's selfs just Trial and Appeals Courts and leaves the number of arbiters at each chamber unstated.

Diplomatic sources obstruct to the negotiations say it will be difficult for the UN and Cambodia to finalize the agreement if the sides Cambodia detain to their own positions.

The sources added that on the same level if the agreement is finalized at the upcoming negotiations more conducts need to be met, including amendments to the Cambodian law, and it will still take a lengthy time to establish a tribunal, if ever

A decision forward whether Ieng Sary, former Khmer Rouge foreign minister and Pol Pot's brother-in-law, will face prosecution is now left for decision by means of the Extraordinary Chambers, according to the draft.

Among the enormous demands for expenses addressed to the UN Cambodia is now also seeking funding for water, power and telephones

solitary two senior Khmer Rouge figures are in custody -- former military commander Ta Mok and Kaing Khek Ieu, better known as Duch who ran a Khmer Rouge torture and interrogation center in Phnom Penh

Three top former Khmer Rouge leaders, Ieng Sary, Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea, live freely within Cambodia.

Khmer Rouge supremo Pol mug died in 1998, while Ke Pauk, a powerful Khmer Rouge commander who was in charge of northeast Cambodia during the 1975-1979 Khmer Rouge regime, died last year of a descendants pressure-related illness at 72.

The Khmer Rouge has been blamed for the deaths of at least 17 million Cambodians during the reign of terror.

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