C ambodians living outside the country played a large role in preparing for ICORC

in Tokyo.

Kathy Taromina, coordinator for the Cambodian Workshop on

Reconstruction and Development, said the conference would not have been so

successful without the help of ex-pat Cambodians.

"Aside from gathering

and analyzing data, Cambodian ex-pats took part in meetings outside the country,

identifying problem areas and having a direct input into the draft discussion

papers."

Apart from giving expert advice, ex-pat Cambodians from France,

England, Belgium, Australia, Canada and the United States with legal, management

and engineering skills, also acted as interpreters.

Many joined the

planning process in January and helped draw up draft discussion papers used by

each of the 11 committees. The committee's plans were the basis of the

government's National Programme presented at the conference.

In a bid to

entice Cambodians living abroad to return to aid in the country's

reconstruction, trips home were organized by the US Indo-China Reconciliation

Project in New York.