10-15-2018
FERNDALE, Wash. — Cambodia’s prime minister has agreed to resume the search for remains of missing U.S. military members from the Vietnam War after a controversial visit by two Whatcom County Republican state lawmakers.
Democrats and election watchers had criticized Senator Doug Ericksen of Ferndale and Representative Vincent Buys of Lynden after they traveled to Cambodia to observe its general election this past summer, which was widely considered to be a sham.
But the Seattle Times reports Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is accused of a crackdown on all opposition groups before the election, wrote the two lawmakers a letter saying he’ll allow the search for U.S. remains to resume.
The operation was suspended last year after the U.S. stopped issuing visas to senior Cambodian officials.