VZCZCXRO9793
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #1454/01 3340622
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 300622Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9147
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 001454 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/EX, EAP/MLS, AND H 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO PEACE CORPS 
LABOR FOR ILAB--LI AND PELTZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SOCI ECON EAGR ELAB CB
SUBJECT: CONGRESSMAN FALEOMAVAEGA PROMOTES STRONGER TIES, 
EDUCATIONAL AID 
 
 
¶1.  Summary.  Building stronger relations through educational, 
economic, and agricultural cooperation were key themes of 
Congressman Eni Faleomavaega's visit to Cambodia from November 22 to 
¶24.  During an informal dinner, Congressman Faleomavaega, Delegate 
from American Samoa and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Asia, 
the Pacific and the Global Environment, told Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs official Ouch Borith that he supported more U.S. 
scholarships for Cambodians and an increased American role in 
Cambodian education.  In a very cordial meeting, Commerce Minister 
Cham Prasidh and Chairman Faleomavaega talked about the economic 
challenges common to American Samoa and Cambodia as small geographic 
areas, Cambodia's recovery from its tragic past, directions for 
Cambodia's economic development, and compared cultural notes.   End 
Summary. 
 
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Faleomavaega:  Education, Agriculture as Tools for Stronger 
Relations 
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¶2.  Expressing his desire for relations between the U.S. and 
Cambodia to become "stronger," Chairman Faleomavaega focused on 
potential ways to improve relations with Cambodia during an informal 
dinner with Ouch Borith, Secretary of State at the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs.  Borith enthusiastically agreed with Faleomavaega's 
suggestion of expanding educational opportunities in the U.S. for 
Cambodian students.  Borith noted that many Cambodian students have 
difficulty studying in the U.S. due to student visa denials and the 
high cost of American education.  Congressman Faleomavaega offered 
to look at ways to create educational opportunities for Cambodian 
students, including:  using a burden-sharing arrangement to jointly 
establish U.S.-Cambodian government scholarships for study in the 
U.S.; increasing Peace Corps presence in Cambodia; and offering 
English training via television with the assistance of University of 
California educators.  Chairman Faleomavaega also suggested the two 
countries review ways to apply American agricultural expertise to 
Cambodia, prompting Borith to suggest that organic farming may be a 
niche that Cambodia could develop in the regionally competitive 
agriculture industry. 
 
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Commerce Minister:  Cambodia Moving Beyond Its Tragic Past 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶3.  During his meeting with Chairman Faleomavaega, Commerce Minister 
Cham Prasidh emphasized Cambodia's efforts to move beyond its 
turbulent history, noting that Cambodians "had saluted six flags in 
six decades."  While the government is working hard to put the 
country back on its feet, he said, it has been difficult as only 4.5 
million people remained after the Khmer Rouge regime:  Cham Prasidh 
himself was one of only 64 intellectuals to survive in Cambodia. 
The U.S. and Cambodia have had a long relationship, the Commerce 
Minister noted, but the U.S. sometimes misunderstood Cambodia.  He 
lamented that Vietnam's assistance to Cambodia following the Khmer 
Rouge regime branded the country communist.  Had wealthier Thailand 
come to help, Prasidh mused, Cambodia would not have had such a 
negative label.  However, he said, "When you are drowning, you don't 
look to see what kind of hand is reaching to help you."  Prasidh 
noted with satisfaction that U.S.-Cambodian relations have grown 
closer in recent years. 
 
¶4.  Turning to Cambodia's development progress and needs, the 
Commerce Minister proudly briefed Congressman Faleomavaega on 
Cambodia's groundbreaking labor programs, including garment factory 
monitoring and the labor arbitration council, both of which were 
created under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Labor and are 
now funded by USAID and other donors.  In agriculture, Prasidh noted 
that while other developing countries are looking to genetically 
modified crops, Cambodia wants to promote organic farming instead. 
 
 
¶5.  Education is also a priority, he asserted, and Cambodia is 
investing in constructing many schools.  However, he said, some 
families are so poor that their children must work in the fields, 
missing classes held during the day.  If schools were electrified, 
poor students could study at night when their work was completed. 
Econoff described the recently announced DOL child labor grant and 
its emphasis on reaching children working in subsistence 
agriculture.  The Commerce Minister also stated that he would 
welcome an expansion of Peace Corps' presence in Cambodia and 
favored efforts to build up Cambodia's education system rather than 
relying on educating Cambodians overseas. 
 
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Comment 
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PHNOM PENH 00001454  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶6.  Chairman Faleomavaega's positive meetings with the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs' Ouch Borith and Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh, 
as well as a memorable weekend viewing the Water Festival and Angkor 
Wat, have begun a stronger relationship between one of the House's 
few Asian-American members and Cambodia.  Indeed, Congressman 
Faleomavaega seemed truly disappointed to learn that Prasidh had 
been unable to secure a meeting with him when he was last in 
Washington, and promised not only to meet with Prasidh during his 
next trip but also to learn about the proposed New Partnership for 
Development Act on trade with least developed countries and to reach 
out to Cambodian-American statesman Sichan Siv. 
 
MUSSOMELI