NEWS Cambodia's king backs gay marriage February 23, 2004 Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk PHNOM PENH — Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk said Friday that after watching news reports of gay marriages in the United States he had decided homosexual couples in the kingdom should be allowed to tie the knot. Sihanouk said that since the kingdom had adopted a liberal democracy in 1993, "I think that this kingdom should allow, if they wish it, marriage between man and man or between woman and woman," he said. In a comment posted on his website, Sihanouk said he "respected" homosexuals and believed that they were part of god's plan to put a diverse array of people and animals on the earth. He also said that transvestites and transsexuals should be "accepted and treated well in our national community". More than 2,800 gay marriages have been carried out over the past week in San Fransisco, despite insistences from the state of California that the ceremonies are illegal and will not be recognised. Sihanouk is currently undergoing medical treatment in Beijing but continues to post daily comments on his website, most dealing with Cambodia's political scene. – Sapa-AFP Related stories San Francisco sues California for right to marry gays [20/02/2004] Activists, health workers, celebrities mark World Aids Day [02/12/2003]