Apr 15: Reuters reported: Cambodia, one of the countries hardest hit by

landmines, praised Australia's decision to ban its military from using anti-personnal

mines. "We welcome the decision of Australia... we welcome any initiative to

ban landmines," said the head of the Cambodian Mine Action Center and also the

Information Minister, Ieng Mouly. He said that as a victim country, Cambodia didn't

want to see any country use landmines and added that a draft law on landmines was

being reviewed probably put before the Cabinet when he returned from a U.N. conference

on landmines in Geneva. Camdodia has been littered with up to 10 million mines in

the past 25 years. Some 40,000 Cambodians have lost limbs from mines.

Apr 17: Reuters reported: Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk would visit

France in the company of Queen Monique at the invitation of President Jacques Chirac

from April 22 to 24, the president's office said.

Apr 18: Reuters reported: Nominal Khmer Rouge leader Khieu Samphan had

written to Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk denying his group is holding a British

mine disposal expert and his interpreter. Khieu Samphan informed the King that his

querrilla faction had already released a statement on March 29 denying any part in

the March 26 abduction of Christopher Howes, 36, of England and his intepreter, Houn

Hourth, 30.

Apr 19: Reuters reported: Tanks were stationed overnight at the residence

of Cambodian Co-Premier Hun Sen. Witnesses said they saw three tanks near his home

and some said they saw one or two pick-up trucks with troops escorting the tanks.

Guards outside Hun Sen's house said the tanks were stationed at the premier's house

as a security measure, but they did not elaborate. Aids to the premier could not

immediately be reached for comment, but analysts noted the second prime minister

had recently claimed there was another plot to kill him and had boosted his number

of bodyguards.

Apr 19: Reuters reported: Vietnam and Cambodia were due to sign an air

agreement in Hanoi formalising air services between the two countries. A Vietnamese

aviation afficial said the accord, covering flights between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi

Minh City, involved services which have already been operating for some time. Diplomats

at the Cambodian embassy in Hanoi declined comment.

Apr 22: Reuters reported: Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk said ailing

Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot could die soon, ending a guerrilla movement whose mass

killings horrified the world. "Pol Pot is ill. He is 65, so death may be awaiting

him and he may die in the not too distant future," Sihanouk said. "There

is no question of murdering him. I do not wish anyone's death, but if he dies of

malaria, it would be very good," he said, adding: "I suppose the Khmer

Rouge movement would disappear if Pol Pot disappears."

Apr 22: Reuters reported: A high-ranking Chinese military delegation arrived

in Cambodia for a four-day visit which included meetings with top government and

defence officials. General Zhang Wan-Nian and his delegation were in Cambodia on

a "goodwill" visit at the invitation of the Co-Defence Ministers. The Chinese

also met Co-Premiers Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Hun Sen, National Assembly chairman

Chea Sim and the armed forces chief of staff, General Ke Kim Yan.

Apr 23: A Singapore Plastic Industry Mission visited Cambodia from 24-28

April 1996. Organised by Singapore Trade Development and the Singapore Plastic Industry

Association, the 18-member delegation comprised 15 companies involved in the plastic

trade and industry. The object of the mission was to explore business and investment

opportunities in Cambodia for the plastic industry.

Apr 26: U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Quinn donated $1,450,718 to the Vietnam

Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) in support of their "Cambodia Prosthetics

and Rehabilitation Program" based at Kien Khleang, Kandal Province.