Lawmaker Defends Cambodia's Development Policy

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice testifies on Capitol Hill before Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, 13 Feb 2008.
By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer

Washington

14 February 2008
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A lawmaker from the ruling party defends Cambodia’s development policy.
Speaking to VOA Khmer by phone, Cheam Yiep, a lawmaker from the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) says that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s disappointment about Cambodia doe not reflect the real progress in Cambodia.
"I can say that what Mrs. Rice US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has raised is her rights ", says Cheam Yiep.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice testifies on Capitol Hill before Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, 13 Feb 2008 The Associated Press in Washington DC quoted Secretary Rice as saying "the U.S. is disappointed about pace of change in Cambodia". Rice reportedly told law makers on Wednesday that the United States wanted to see more progress in that country. However, the Associated Press did not elaborate.
Cambodia receives about USD 600 million dollars every year. An estimated 34 percent of its population is living under the poverty line and most people in Cambodia makes less than a dollar a day.
VOA could not reach government spokesman Khieu Kahnarith and other senior government official for comments.