Reuters Ltd, the London-based news agency giant has appointed invnvestment consultancy

firm IMIC as its agent in Cambodia for Reuters Business Services. The announcement

follows Reuter's decision to separate its business service activities from its work

in news and television.

"Initially we shall be introducing small dish- based services carrying programs

such as Money 2000, and News 2000," said Jules Thomas, IMIC's general manager.

He said IMIC would also be offering the Reuter Wire service to interested parties.

IMIC Ltd, which stands for International Management and Investment Consultants Ltd,

is the Cambodian trading subsidiary of the majority British-owned, Hong Kong registered,

holding company OMIC LTD. OMIC/IMIC has been operating in Phnom Penh since early

Sept. 1992.

As Cambodia's banking sector develops, and the competition for corporate clients

and new business increases the emphasis will be placed on banks to offer the best

possible services to potential clients. Thomas said he was confident of the future

of IMIC Reuters in Cambodia.

"It is not a question of whether a bank can afford to have the system, but whether

they cannot afford to be without it," he said.

IMIC will provide clients with complete installation, training, and support services

from their offices at 2 Boulevard Tousamouth, where full demonstration facilities

are currently being installed and where locally-employed IMIC staff will be able

to provide a local help line service.

Reuter's move into Cambodia comes at a time when many investors are said to be holding

off.

"We are not interested in short term projects but in long term investment, and

our move into Cambodia at this time is a statement of our confidence in the country,"

said regional manager Graham Spencer, who is also spearheading Reuter's move into

Laos and Vietnam.