U.S. Embassy not a target, says Cambodian police chief

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Cambodia's police chief urged American officials Wednesday to reopen the U.S. Embassy here, saying there were no al-Qaida fighters in his country.

But the top U.S. diplomat in Cambodia said the embassy was closed because of a credible threat and would not open until the Cambodian government upgrades security. It has been shut since Sept. 11.

National Police Commander Gen. Hok Lundy, one of Cambodia's most powerful security officials, said the embassy's closure was tarnishing its image as a safe country rebuilding itself after decades of war.

"So please, open the embassy as soon as possible," he said in a telephone interview. "There is nothing to worry about. There are no al-Qaida terrorists in Cambodia."

He said he could "promise" there would be no terrorist attack on the embassy.

U.S. charge d'affaires Alexander Arvizu responded that U.S. intelligence officials earlier this month learned of "specific, credible" plots against U.S. installations in Cambodia and five other Southeast Asian nations.

He said he could not confirm that al-Qaida was behind the threats.

Arvizu, who is acting ambassador until a new appointee is confirmed by the Senate, said Cambodian officials agreed to upgrade security but have been slow to act.

He said "until we're reasonably sure that the facility is reasonably safe and secure, we will not reopen."

The embassy is a collection of buildings in a densely populated residential area. The embassy has been paying rent for years on several nearby empty buildings because they pose a security hazard.

Several other U.S. embassies in the region which had closed for the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks have since reopened.