Cambodian Queen Norodom Monineath wrote a letter to former Khmer Rouge leader Khieu Samphan asking him to help win the release of the three western backpackers who were kidnapped by the Khmer Rouge soldiers back in 1994.
In a letter dated 27 August 1994, the queen said as the honorary president of the Cambodian Red Cross, she requested the release of the three backpackers.
The letter was recently posted on King Sihanouk' s web site. It's not known whether Mr. Khieu Samphan replied to the Queen or not.
In another development, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told donor countries in Phnom Penh today that the reason he decided not to go to deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly this year is because he has important works to do in Cambodia not because he is trying to avoid the Khmer Rouge tribunal issue as some news reports said.