VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPF #0655 1300935
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 100935Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8410
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 2281
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3159

UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 000655 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, OES/OA--JOHN FIELD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV EFIS KSCA PREL ETRD CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIA LIKELY TO SUPPORT JAPAN ON WHALING ISSUE 
 
REF: STATE 56397 
 
¶1.  (U) On May 10, Poleconoff delivered reftel demarche to 
Mr. Ing Try, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.  Ing Try asked a few 
clarifying questions about the bowhead quota, but gave no 
immediate indication as to how Cambodia was likely to vote. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Poleconoff met with Mr. Suon Phalla of the CITES 
Authority at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and 
Fisheries to discuss reftel demarche informally on May 3.  He 
indicated that in the run-up to last year's International 
Whaling Commission, the Cambodian government was subject to 
conflicting pressure on whaling proposals and that ultimately 
the decision about Cambodia's vote went all the way to the 
Prime Minister's office.  Because Japan is Cambodia's largest 
aid donor, Cambodia cannot risk offending Japan on an issue 
it sees as critical, and will vote with the pro-Japanese 
block again this year, he said. 
 
¶3.  (U) The Australian Embassy has indicated that they will 
also be meeting with Ing Try to urge him to leave the 
pro-Japan block, but the embassy is not optimistic about the 
prospects for success.  An Australian diplomat was uncertain 
whether they would specifically raise the issue of bowhead 
quotas. 
MUSSOMELI