June 28: The US Embassy announced a new "American Embassy Happy Hour"

which started on

June 29: and will take place every other Saturday at the GSO compound on

Street 228 from 6:30 to 9:00. The statement notes "Cheap drinks, Good music,

Great company! All are welcome!"

June 30: Ninety students from the Institute of Technology and 20 from the

University of Phnom Penh departed for France for a 2-month study tour sponsored by

AUPELF-UREF. The visit is designed to provide the students with an immersion in French

culture, through courses, visits to industry, cultural outings, and excursions. The

students will be divided into four groups of 22-23 students accompanied by a teacher

and each group will be based in a different region.

July 6: The Royal Cabinet issued a statement from His Majesty King Norodom

Sihanouk in Beijing saying "Since the end of my State visit and my stay in France,

I have, on certain days, suffered from a disturbing dizziness. And, each time that

I have this dizziness, I must sit down immediately - if I am standing - or in the

process of walking; or as well I must lie down on a couch or put myself on a bed.

My blood pressure goes down, each time that I experience this dizziness. It is this

new problem (my Chinese doctors are taking care of me with much competence and devotion)

which does not permit me to fix a precise and firm date for my trip to return to

Phnom Penh."

July 7: The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development announced

the publication of a new study entitled "The U.N. and Complex Emergencies: Rehabilitation

in Third World Transitions" which draws on experience in Afghanistan, Cambodia,

Mozambique and Somalia in describing the crucial role of rehabilitation in countries

wracked by poverty and internal conflict, and assesses the interconnecting roles

from the nations and providers in the field through the intermediate bureaucrats

to the powers at the top.

July 8: US Ambassador Ken Quinn and USAID's Asst. Administrator for Asia

& the Near East Margaret Carpenter joined Minister of Education, Youth and Sports

H.E. Tol Lah to launch the $30 million Cambodia Assistance to Primary Education (CAPE)

Project. According to a USIS press release: "The CAPE project is a $30 million

rimary education project that was originally signed in August 1995 during US Secretary

of State Warren Christopher's visit to Cambodia. The project will provide training

to some 45,000 primary school teachers and headmasters to improve their teaching

skills, establish a system of "school clusters" throughout most of Cambodia,

and provide training to the Ministry's Strategic Planning Department. Ambassador

Quinn noted that the project represents an important step to provide assistance to

rural Cambodia, and that the decision to undertake activities in the important primary

education sector reflects the US Government's committment to supporting investments

critical to Cambodia's long-term development."

July 8: Reuters reported: "The treacherous potholes are gone and the

once-vital link between Cambodia's capital and its deep sea port looks set for a

revival. Contractors are putting the finishing touches to a $30 million U.S.-funded

repair job on the battered and broken highway linking Phnom Penh with Sihanoukville.

'There were sections where pavement was completely gone and the road was almost impassable

with potholes. There were bridges which were totally out, where spans were down,'

said Norman Loeffler, project manager with USAID which sponsored the project. Passenger

and trade traffic is expected to swell because of the repair project, which began

in late 1994."

July 9: King Norodom Sihanouk was reported to be returning to Cambodia,

according to government officials, but his flight was delayed by bad weather.