Lawyers, Sums and Money

Another early signal. As predicted here, the Australian media will eventually find the "local" angle to this Cambodian story and give it an airing within the next few months.

Peter Lloyd gave it a bit of a push at the weekend.

And today the Asia Pacific arm of the ABC website is giving portions of Lloyd's report radio report a run as written text.

Slowly, slowly, the story is edging closer to Australian shores.

Under the headline "Appeal for funding for UN war crimes tribunal in Cambodia", it reads as follows:

An appeal will be launched today for funds to pay for a United Nations-backed war crimes tribunal in Cambodia.

More than $70 million is needed to prosecute surviving members of the Khmer Rouge regime which oversaw the deaths of up to two million people between 1975 and 1979.

South East Asia correspondent Peter Lloyd reports.

"After years of bitter disagreement between the UN and Cambodia's government, money is now all that stands in the way of a war crimes trial in Cambodia. Japan has pledged roughly half the budget.

A further ten million will come from Australia, France and Britain.

The aim of today's appeal in New York is to raise the remaining millions from UN members.

The United States has already indicated that it won't contribute any money. The Bush Administration and senior Republicans are long-standing opponents of Cambodia's elected leader Hun Sen.

The Prime Minister has urged a speedy beginning of the tribunal, warning that the ageing defendants risk dying before justice can be served. Cambodian officials believe it could begin this year if donors respond to the appeal for funding. "