To meet a requirement of the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding the resolution of trade disputes, Cambodia will set up a trade court in 2007, according to government officials .

The Ministry of Commerce is to select about 40 out of 200 judges-to-be at the Cambodian Judge School and train them in commercial law.

Var Roth San, Director of Intellectual Property Rights at the Ministry of Commerce, told the press that Cambodia had seen over 200 trademark disputes among Cambodian and foreign businesses in 2005, which could not be properly settled due to lack of expertise.

Most of the disputes were related to trademark misuse and copyright violations, he said.

Cambodia became the 148th member of WTO in 2004. The country has been under heavy pressure from the WTO since then to implement its rules, especially those of trademark and intellectual property rights protection.

3G ban lightened

The government has lifted its ban on 3G, or "third generation" mobile telephone systems, but only minus the video, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications So Khun said on October 8. He said the ministry had come to an agreement with the country's leading mobile phone network, MobiTel, and would now permit the phone use.

In May, wives of senior officials successfully lobbied for a ban of 3G phones because they might be used to transmit pornography.

"Before, we would not allow it because it was a moral issue and could have a negative cultural impact," So Khun told a German news agency. "Now we allow its use, but only without the video."

The new Mobitel package offers high-speed internet access and television access from a limited number of local stations. MobiTel part-owner Kith Meng also owns popular local television station CTN.