The Japanese government pledged on Dec. 9 its cooperation to the full restoration

of the landmark "Broken Bridge"-officially named Chroy Chang Va bridge-on

the northern edge of the city of Phnom Penh, long recognized as a vital link to the

nine provinces in the eastern and northern areas of Cambodia.

Motor travellers must now use Highway 1 or a Tonle Sap River ferry north of the bridge

off of Highway 5 in order to reach the eastern and northeastern portions of the country.

The Japanese assisted in the initial building of the bridge, a three year project

that was completed in 1963, but in the 1970s the 365-meter middle section of the

bridge was blown up by the communist

According to Cambodia's Communication Minister So Khun and Japanese Ambassador Yukio

Imagawa, the bridge restoration was to begin on Dec. 26.

The reconstruction of the bridge ought to be completed by October 1994.

- Translated from Pracheachun by Moeun-Chhean Nariddh