The British-American Tobacco Company announced that it was establishing a joint

venture with the Cambodian Tobacco Company, after a 22 year absence from Cambodia.

The new entity will be owned by BAT (51 per cent), Singapore's SUTL (20 per cent)

and CAT (29 per cent).

The $25 million plans include renovating the existing manufacturing facility, training

old workers and increasing the quality of tobacco leaf up to international standard,

said M A Aleem, BAT Cambodia general manager.

Aleem said BAT's goal was to use 100 per cent local tobacco and drive away imported

cigarette brands.