ADB can’t confirm authenticity of letter

The Asian Development Bank yesterday said it had never authenticated a June 17 letter from Finance Minister Keat Chhon that claimed an ADB consultant urged the government to target advocacy groups critical of an ADB-funded railway project. In a copy of the letter obtained earlier this week, Mr Chhon said an ADB consultant "had drawn the attention of the government officials to be careful with these NGOs and requested the government to take immediate action on this group of ignorant NGOs because development partner ADB is also under political pressure caused by these NGOs"...