Dear Sir:

Concerning the

article published in the Feb 11-24 issue of Phnom Penh Post entitled "$6,5 M.

French cash aids college." I would like to clarify some points regarding the

Russian involvement.

The Phnom Penh Institute of Technology was built,

equipped and granted by the Soviet Union to the Kingdom of Cambodia in 1964 and

was named then after Cambodian-Soviet Friendship like another Soviet donation -

a hospital in 1959.

In 1982, after Pol Pot's rule when it was used as a

jail, the Institute was fully reconstructed and re-equipped by the Soviet aid.

The total cost of this gift went up to $60 million.

Since 1964

more than 2,500 technicians and engineers graduated from this higher school of

technology with the help of Soviet professors who taught first in French then

since 1982 in Russian together with local professors who obtained their PhD

degrees in Soviet Universities and Colleges.

Besides this, Russia built

in 1985 and supplied equipment for the biggest "Tek Thla" center of professional

training in Phnom Penh, which has already formed more than 1,200 qualified

workers and technicians with the assistance of Russian teachers and

shipmas-ters.

Up to now more than 4,000 Khmer specialists have graduated

from various Russian educational institutes.

Thirteen hundred Cambodian

citizens continue their studies in CIS countries including the Russian

Federation, with more than 600 students fully at the expense of the receiving

side including scholarships, transport and other facilities.

By this

Russia participates to the international rehabilitation program. Each year the

Russian contribution thus reaches about $2.6 million.

- Guennady Chevelev, Counselor, Embassy of the Russian

Federation