Japan Clarifies Newspapers’ Misreporting of Its Position on Assistance for ECCC

Cambodia (Kohker) - The Embassy of Japan in Cambodia this afternoon clarified Japan’s position on its assistance for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) following news report this morning.

Some newspapers reported on September 4 that Japan agreed to redirect some amount of Japanese contribution to the UN side to the Cambodian side of the ECCC in a meeting between H.E. Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, and H.E. Yuji Kumamaru, Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia on September 3, 2013, the Japanese Embassy said, stressing that the report was incorrect.

“The Embassy of Japan would like to clarity that it is incorrect to state that the Government of Japan agreed to provide funds to the national side of the budget, directly or indirectly,” it said.

“The Government of Japan doesn’t intend to contribute to the Cambodian side of the budget as it is the obligation of the Cambodian government to pay to the national side of the budget. However, Ambassador Kumamaru mentioned that the Government of Japan is considering if it can provide a part of the Japanese contribution to the international side earlier than originally scheduled in order to alleviate the current situation,” it added.

“It is regrettable that such an incorrect news report was made as it could confuse people concerned with the ECCC that is currently facing a severe budgetary problem,” the Embassy said.