Amnesty International has criticized Cambodia for failing to take steps to ensure that a planned trial for surviving Khmer Rouge leaders will meet international standards.

The human rights group said in a statement that it understands a U.N. decision last week to withdraw from preparations to set up a joint war-crimes tribunal to try former leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

U.N. officials said the court's objectivity, impartiality, and independence could not be guaranteed after the Cambodian government insisted that the tribunal's operations be controlled by Cambodian law

Amnesty International said participating in trial procedures which are not fair would serve only to undermine U.N. human rights standards, and sell the Cambodian people short.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has criticized the U.N. decision. He says his government is committed to putting Khmer Rouge members on trial, but the door is still open for a U.N. role in planning the tribunal's work. The Khmer Rouge, which ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, is blamed for the deaths of nearly two million people.

Some information for this report provided by AFP.

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