U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited a former Khmer Rouge torture center in the Cambodian capital Monday and called for the prosecution of those responsible. She made the visit before meetings with Prime Minister Hun Sen and other top leaders.
U.S. officials said the secretary will appeal to the government leaders to improve their respect for human rights.
Thousands of people were tortured and killed by Khmer Rouge officials at the Tuol Sleng prison, which has been turned into a museum. After her tour, Clinton wrote in a guest book, calling for those responsible to be prosecuted.
An international tribunal convicted the former warden of the prison in July and plans to hold trials for four more Khmer Rouge leaders. Hun Sen said last week he does not want the tribunal to try anyone else, prompting objections from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Clinton, who is on a multi-nation tour of Asia, spent Sunday in the Cambodian city of Siem Reap, where she visited a U.S.-funded rehabilitation center for victims of human trafficking. She also visited the nearby Angkor Wat temple.
In Phnom Penh, she was to see King Norodom Sihamoni and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, as well as Hun Sen.
Monday evening, she is scheduled to travel to Malaysia for meetings Tuesday with government and opposition leaders, including Anwar Ibrahim, who is on trial accused of sodomy.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
