Cambodia has threatened to stop cooperating with Finland against organised crime after Helsinki offered sanctuary to a fugitive Cambodian former police chief detained in Malaysia.

"We don't need to talk about joint cooperation to combat organised crime. There is no need," Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters.

Finland's ambassador to Malaysia, Lauri Korpinen, said in Kuala Lumpur today that his government had decided to offer a restricted visa allowing Heng Pov, 49, to enter the country, after his lawyers lodged an application.

Heng Pov was convicted and sentenced in absentia on Sept 18 for conspiracy in connection with the killing of municipal court judge Sok Sethamony, who was shot in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh in 2003.

Since early October, the former police chief has been in detention in Malaysia for immigration offences and has been fighting against deportation to Cambodia, where he said he could be tortured and executed.

No extradiction treaty

Cambodia and Malaysia do not have an extradition treaty.

Hor Namhong said he had sent a letter to his Finnish counterpart, Erkki Tuomioja, calling Helsinki's decision "very regrettable" and urging Finland to reconsider its visa offer to the former police chief.

But the Cambodian foreign minister insisted Phnom Penh had no plans to cut bilateral diplomatic ties.

The Finnish envoy said mounting concern from non-government organisations, several European parliamentarians and Cambodian refugees in Finland over Heng Pov's fate had figured in the decision to offer him a visa.

Lawyers for Heng Pov said they were hopeful the Finnish offer would allow him to leave Malaysia.