[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15767-15768]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING AMBASSADOR HEM HENG AND THE KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. ENI F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA

                           of american samoa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 14, 2014

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA . Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend 
and brother, His Excellency Hem Heng, Ambassador Extraordinary and 
Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United States. 
Ambassador Heng has been the Cambodian Ambassador to the United States 
since 2008. He has more than 30 years experience working in foreign 
affairs.
  It has been my honor to serve with him for the past six years. 
Together, we worked to hold historic hearings on U.S.-Cambodia 
relations during my service as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and 
the Pacific and brought attention to the need for the United States to 
forgive Cambodia's debt. Ambassador Hem Heng has worked tirelessly to 
make debt forgiveness a top priority.
  Between 1972 and 1975, Cambodia incurred a $276 million debt to the 
United States through the provision of agricultural commodities. 
General Lon Nol incurred this debt to support his chaotic and 
dictatorial regime, which seized power through a coup, making his an 
illegitimate government. Lon Nol did nothing to address the debt and, 
in 1975, the Khmer Rouge came to power. This regime also failed to 
service the loan. Additionally, the Khmer Rouge killed or starved at 
least 20% of Cambodians, neglected infrastructure and factories, and 
reverted to ancient agricultural techniques, all of which decimated the 
Cambodian economy and any ability to repay debt. Cambodia now owes the 
U.S. $450 million including interest as of December 31, 2009.
  Cambodia has asked the U.S. to forgive its debt or use a portion of 
the payments towards U.S. assistance programs which include health 
care, economic competitiveness, civil society, and land mine removal, 
among others. However, the U.S. Departments of Treasury and State, 
across administrations, have shown remarkable inflexibility and lack of 
cooperation.
  Nonetheless, I commend Ambassador Hem Heng for his continued efforts 
to encourage

[[Page 15768]]

the United States to forgive the debt. In November 2004, the U.S. 
forgave $4.1 billion of Iraqi debt accumulated under Saddam Hussein's 
leadership so as not to cripple the new government. Bosnia-
Herzegovina's debt of $24 million and Yugoslavia's $538.4 million debt, 
both likely incurred under the dictator Josip Tito, were forgiven in 
1999 and 2002 respectively.
  I remain hopeful that one day the United States will come to 
understand the strategic importance of Cambodia and offer a hand up. 
Greater engagement with Cambodia would also help the United States 
achieve its foreign policy goals in the region.
  It has been my pleasure to know Ambassador Hem Heng. With his 
support, I had the privilege of visiting Cambodia twice and, at the 
time, met with Prime Minister Hun Sen, Deputy Prime Minister Hor 
Namhong, Secretary of State Ouch Borith, and Minister of Commerce Cham 
Prasidh. All are committed to the goal of strengthening U.S.-Cambodia 
relations, and I commend Ambassador Hem Heng for the remarkable work he 
has done in representing Cambodia's interests in the United States.
  Ambassador Hem Heng was born in Kampong Cham province and graduated 
from the Agricultural School of Prek Leap in Phnom Penh. His diplomatic 
service began in 1979, following the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge. He 
has worked as Bureau Chief in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Protocol 
Department, as Deputy Director of the Economic Cooperation Department, 
as Deputy Director General of the ASEAN Directorate, as Minister 
Counselor in the Cambodian Embassy in India, as Director of the Asia 2 
Department, as Director of Information and Documentation, and as 
Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister.
  He is married to the talented and lovely Madam Savine Ek, and they 
have three sons. I will long remember Ambassador Hem Heng and I will 
miss him very much. I extend to him and his family my highest and 
kindest regards.

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