PHNOM PENH — Cambodia's government said on Thursday it had responded to the European Union over human rights and political concerns and urged the bloc to consider that nearly one million female workers would be affected if it suspended trade benefits. The EU has threatened to suspend its Everything But Arms (EBA) trade scheme with Cambodia after a European Commission report found that Prime Minister Hun Sen's government has cracked down on the opposition, civil society groups and the media. It has given Cambodia a Thursday deadline to respond to the allegations and a final decision whether or not to suspend the EBA will be made in February next year. Cambodia's Foreign Ministry said the government had handed in its response. The response is "a comprehensive report on the actions and measures undertaken by the Royal Government to respond to all the areas of concerns" by the EU, in particular with respect to the right to political participation, land rights, freedom of expression and freedom of association, the ministry said.

Source: International New York Times December 12, 2019 10:18 UTC