Cambodia Refuses U.S. Proposal to Send Troops to Iraq

Cambodia refuses the U.S. proposal to send troops for operations in Iraq, saying there are conflicts at the U.N, high ranking government officials say Friday.

U.S. Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli at the beginning of this week sent a proposal to Prime Minister Hun Sen asking for Cambodian troops for military operations in Iraq, after this country is ravaged by war due to the U.S led attacks on Iraq with its allies to topple former Iraq leader Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith says that the U.S.'s attacks on Iraq were not against weapons of mass destruction.

He says Mr. Hun Sen will not sent the troops because now the reason behind this war is different.

Deputy prime minister and minister of defense Tea Bnnh says that Cambodia will send some troops had the UN asks for them but will not since the US's proposal is unilateral. US embassy spokesman Jeff Daigle cannot be reached for comments.