Apr 3: Reuters reported: British mine disposal expert Christopher Howes

and his interpreter Houn Hourth abducted last week in northwest Cambodia are alive,

co-Premier Prince Norodom Ranariddh said. "They are not in the hands of the

Khmer Rouge guerrilla faction as some had feared and now [local] families are in

permanent contact I think that their lives are not in danger," he said in reference

to villagers with links to the kidnappers who have been used as intermediaries. The

Mines Advisory Group (MAG) director had said there were no new developments in the

case.

Apr 3: Reuters reported: Government troops killed 39 Khmer Rouge guerrillas

and lost 22 of their own men in northwest Cambodia in the last week of March. Information

Ministry spokeman Sieng Lapresse said the government casualties were largely caused

by mines. A defence ministry spokeman said some army troops were just one kilometer

from Pailin.

Apr 4: Reuters reported: The 238-km highway connecting Bangkok, Phnom Penh,

Ho Chi Minh City and the coastal Vietnamese town of Vung Tau, is one of the top priority

projects supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the region. The total cost

of the Phnom Penh-Ho Chi Minh City stretch is estimated to be $90 million. "We

are at the first stage of implementation of this first regional project. Construction

could begin by late 1997," a public works and transport ministry official said.

Apr 4: The Government of the United Kingdom announced a grant of over $300,000

to the trust fund established for the UN Center for Human Rights (UNCHR). The British

Government welcomed the commitment of the Cambodian government to guaranteeing human

rights. The contribution will enable the UNCHR to extend technical assistance and

training.

Apr 5: US Ambassador Kenneth Quinn presided over the donation of 23 tons

of humanitarian relief supplies valued at $300,000 to the Royal Government of Cambodia

at the Oral Refugee Camp in Kampong Speu. The donation, consisting of food, clothing

and equipment would be used to assist the Khmer Rouge defectors in Oral and other

areas.

Apr 6: Reuters reported: Cambodia's electricity-starved capital got two

power plants in a week, a 10-megawatt (MW) plant funded by Japanese aid and an 18-megawatt

station worth $17.8 million funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Industry,

Energy and Mines Minister Pou Sothirak said the electricity needs of the capital

would be met by the two facilities. Sothirak estimated that by the end of the year

Phnom Penh would have an electricity generating capacity of about 90 MW, compared

with just 15-20 MW a year ago.

Apr 9: The Cambodia Development Council (CDC) officially inaugurated its

computer center under the presidency of Prince Norodom Ranariddh the first prime

minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia.

Apr 9: The Embassy of France presented two vehicles worth $52,000 to H.E

Dr. Dy Narong Rith, State Secretariat of the Ministry of Health, for serving in the

National Program in Aids Protection.

Apr 11: The Singapore Embassy announced that Singapore has decided to offer

Asian Training Awards to Cambodian nationals from today. Cambodian nationals have

to be nominated by the Cambodian Government to qualify for the training award. The

86 training courses offered are in the fields of communications, education, environment,

finance, horticulture and industry training, housing and urban development, medicine,

port activities, primary production, public utilities, public works and fire prevention,

science and technology, social welfare and rehabilitation centre.

Apr 14: The Government of India has decided, responding to an appeal launched

by His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia, to supply medicines and equipment

worth two million Rupees on an urgent basis to the Royal Government of Cambodia.

The provision of medical aid is to cater to the wounded soldiers of the Royal Cambodian

Armed Forces who have suffered in their operations against the Khmer Rouge.