The Phnom Penh Post

I did a brief interview with Radio Australia this morning about the status of corruption allegations at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. Unfortunately, the phone connection was a bit weak, but you can listen to the interview or read the transcript here.

Although the UN's review of corruption allegations lodged over the summer was handed over to Deputy Prime Minister Sok An last week, the Council of Ministers issued a statement Friday claiming the government had yet to see actual complaints.

While Sok An has been in correspondence with UN's Office of Legal Affairs since July, "until now none of these complaints have been presented to any competent Cambodian authority," the statement reads. "H.E. Sok An has also expressed his concerns regarding lack of due process, including the naming of individuals who have not been informed of the charges against them."

The statement is somewhat confusing, since multiple sources have confirmed that Sok An received the UN's review last week. To clarify, all I can assume -- and what some have told me -- is that the review Sok An received was not extensive and did not include the original complaints themselves.

Sok An has pledged that when the complaints are given to proper Cambodian authorities, appropriate action will be taken, the statement reads.

It also mentions another corruption allegation that the court's new ethics monitors recently received.

"Any action to address complaints received will be carried out in accordance with due process and in a way that will minimize any jeopardy to the ongoing important and long-awaited judicial proceedings of the ECCC," according to the statement.

* Pictured: Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.