A Cambodian official said Vietnamese authorities have yet to turn over evidence requested in connection with the transport of illegal logs from Mondolkiri province to Vietnam late last year.
Khim Chea Sophoan, deputy director general of the inspections department at the Ministry of Parliamentary Relations and Inspection, said Monday that Vietnamese officials in Duk Lac province refused to release the export license documents during a weeklong visit by a three-person Cambodian delegation.
“We want to know who is the mastermind in the [logging] case. But the meeting produced little results,” said Khim Chea Sophoan.
He said the provincial officials said they must wait 15 days for Vietnam’s permission to show the documents. The delegation also was refused a meeting with two Vietnamese timber companies who purchased logs, said Khim Chea Sophoan. About 400 truckloads of logs were exported from Mondolkiri late last year allegedly using fake documents.
The scandal resulted in the sacking of Mondolkiri’s governor and deputy governor, and the suspension of several other provincial officials.
