UN Asks Cambodia to Clarify Accusation of 'Untruthful' UN Reporting

The United Nations' labor agency says it wants Cambodia to clarify accusations that U.N. monitors have misrepresented working conditions in Cambodian garment factories.

The International Labor Organization (I.L.O.) was responding to demands by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen for the agency to correct what he calls "untruthful" reports about Cambodia's garment industry.

Hun Sen also suggested Wednesday that some I.L.O. staffers were demanding money from factory owners in return for positive reports about working conditions.

The I.L.O. has been monitoring Cambodian garment factories since 2001. The U.N. agency said today (Thursday) it has written a letter to the Cambodian government seeking clarification of the prime minister's allegations.

Cambodia has almost 300 garment factories that employ about 320-thousand workers. Clothing is Cambodia's top export, earning the country about two-point-two billion dollars a year.