BEIJING - China yesterday stated its opposition to an international war crimes tribunal for Pol Pot as the United States pressed ahead with plans to find a third country for the trial.
"The Khmer Rouge issue, including the question of Pol Pot, are internal affairs of Cambodia. It should be up to the Cambodian people to handle them," a foreign ministry spokesman, Mr Cui Tiankai, said.
According to Cambodian officials Pol Pot, head of the "killing fields" regime of the 1970s, has been captured by former comrades who turned against him following a split in the ranks.
Cambodia's two Prime Ministers have asked the United Nations for help to organise an international war crimes tribunal for the deaths of one to two million Cambodians who died of torture, starvation or disease under his rule.
The US said on Monday it was ready to help Cambodia amid indications that an international tribunal could be formed to try him.