Cambodia offers to resume search for US Vietnam War missing
13 Oct 2018 10:18PM
PHNOM PENH: Cambodian leader HE has offered to resume working with a US programme that recovers the remains of American soldiers killed during the Vietnam War, as the premier seeks to defuse criticism of a flawed election.

HE stated his intention to restart the "important" mission in a letter published on government mouthpiece Fresh News Saturday (Oct 13) and also shared on his official Facebook page.

It was addressed to two US state lawmakers who visited Cambodia ahead of the vote earlier this year and who this month had written to HE about reactivating the project.

The searches, which have recovered the remains of 42 American servicemen in Cambodia - dozens are still unaccounted for - were suspended in September 2017 as relations soured between the two countries.

HE halted it after Washington stopped issuing visas to senior Cambodian officials in reprisal for the country temporarily refusing to take in Cambodian nationals deported from the US for committing crimes.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/as ... g-10824270

October 13, 2018

"PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s prime minister says he has agreed to the resumption of U.S. military-led missions to search for the remains of Americans missing in action during the Vietnam War, following an appeal from two U.S. state lawmakers."

"The long-running program was suspended a year ago after the U.S. government stopped issuing visas to senior Cambodian Foreign Ministry officials and their families. The tit-for-tat move came amid sharply deteriorating relations between the two countries."

"The U.S. government lists 48 Americans as still unaccounted for in Cambodia."

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-wor ... r-us-mias/

Searching for American Soldiers’ Remains in Cambodia Resumes Based on Humanitarian and Human Rights Grounds: Ruling Party’s Spokesman
15/10/18 01:26
Phnom Penh (FN), Oct. 14 - The ruling Cambodian People’s Party spokesman Sok Eysan said Sunday that the Royal Government of Cambodia continued to cooperate with the U.S in the search for remains of American soldiers based on humanitarian and human rights grounds, particularly the sentiments of victims' families.

“Through the Royal Government’s gesture, it can be inferred who is better than who on the grounds of human right and humanitarian acts,” said Eysan.

The mission resumed at the request of Senator Doug Ericksen and Representative Vincent Buys of Washington State of the United States of America.

“I am pleased to receive your joint letter of 02 October 2018, expressing your appreciation of Cambodia’s ongoing socio-economic and democratic progress and your wish for the re-activation of the POW/MIA program in Cambodia,” according to Prime Minister HE’s letter dated on Friday.

“As we have discussed before and at your personal request as well as that made by other US Organizations, my Government, in the same compassionate spirit, agreed to resume this important POW/MIA field mission, regardless the United States visa restriction in place.” the letter added.
http://en.freshnewsasia.com/index.php/e ... 37-05.html