- Thank You, His Excellency Chair
- Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen!
At the outset, it is my great honor to participate in the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held in Baku, the historic and vibrant city of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
I would like to express my profound appreciation to President Aliyev, the Government and the People of Azerbaijan for the welcome and the warm hospitality extended to my delegations. I highly value Azerbaijan’s leadership and extend my congratulation for its continuation as Chair of CICA (2026–2028). I also commend the Chair and the CICA Secretariat for the excellent arrangements for this Summit.
Cambodia also welcomes and congratulates Lao PDR on becoming CICA member state. Its participation as a member state would further strengthen the representativeness, inclusiveness, and dynamism of our conference. Cambodia also extends its full support to the new Secretary-General of CICA.
We meet at a time of profound geopolitical and geoeconomics transformations. Heightened strategic competitions, protracted conflicts, economic fragmentations, and disruptions to global supply chains, transnational crime and emerging security challenges are eroding international trust and testing the resilience of multilateralism.
Against this backdrop, the principles reaffirmed in the Baku Declaration, including respect for the Charter of the United Nations, international law, sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and peaceful settlement of disputes, are not merely aspirations; they are indispensable foundations for peace and stability. Cambodia firmly believes these principles must be upheld consistently and equally for all states.
- Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen!
Cambodia’s own recent experience has reinforced our conviction that peace cannot be taken for granted, and that disputes between states must be addressed through peaceful means, dialogue, and international law. Borders and sovereignty must never be altered by force or faits accomplis. The ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand continues to hold, but the situation remains complex. The core issue—territorial integrity and sovereignty under international law and existing agreements—remains unresolved. Cambodia remains concerned by the situation on the ground in areas occupied by Thai troops well inside Cambodian territory.
Border demarcation by the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), which is key to peaceful settlement of disputes, as clearly indicated in mutual agreements between Cambodia and Thailand, including Kuala Lumpur Declaration and Joint Statement, has not yet been implemented on the ground. The delays in implementation of these agreements have prevented about 20,000 Cambodians from returning home with safety and dignity.
Despite this complexity, Cambodia remains firmly committed to resolving outstanding issues with Thailand peacefully through existing bilateral mechanisms and agreements and in accordance with international law, while safeguarding its sovereignty, territorial integrity. We believe that dialogue, de-escalation, and faithful implementation of joint bilateral agreements, especially border demarcation by JBC and agreed confidence-building measures, are crucial for creating conditions for fair and lasting settlement of disputes and peaceful coexistence.
This is precisely the spirit of dialogue, confidence-building, and peaceful coexistence that CICA seeks to advance across our continent.
In this context, CICA has made commendable progress in enhancing its relevance and contributions as a pan-Asian platform for dialogue, confidence-building, cooperation, and consensus-based decision-making.
- Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen!
Looking ahead, allow me to highlight four priorities for our future cooperation.
First, Cambodia reiterates its strong support for the transformation of CICA into a full-fledged international organization. Cambodia will work with other member states to advance the roadmap for CICA Transformation and achieve further progress in negotiations on the CICA Charter. Cambodia is pleased to have ratified the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the CICA Secretariat, Its Personnel, and Representatives. The instrument of Ratification has also been deposited with the CICA Secretariat.
Second, Cambodia attaches great importance to deeper economic cooperation, including promotion of trade among CICA members, resilient supply chains, energy security, connectivity, and sustainable development. We also welcome greater cooperation in tourism, education, digital transformation and innovation, and people-to-people exchanges.
Third, we should strengthen cooperation against transnational crimes. In an increasingly digital world, cybercrimes, online fraud, and scams related to transnational crime activities are becoming more sophisticated and cannot be effectively addressed by any country acting alone. Cambodia therefore supports stronger information-sharing, law enforcement cooperation, capacity-building, and cyber resilience. Such cooperation should be pursued in full respect for national sovereignty, international law, and the United Nations Charter, and should remain focused on fostering practical cooperation and mutual trust rather than geopolitical rivalry.
Our recent hosting of the International Conference on Combating Online Scams, which brought together participants from 26 countries including 7 international organizations including UNODC, INTERPOL, and Lancang-Mekong Integrated Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation Center (LMLECC), and the adoption of the Phnom Penh Declaration, further demonstrate Cambodia’s commitment to disrupting transnational criminal networks, protecting victims, and strengthening international cooperation.
Fourth, Cambodia encourages stronger complementarities between CICA and other regional and international organizations, particularly the United Nations, which remains at the center of multilateral systems. Stronger international cooperation can contribute to a more inclusive, representative, equitable, and resilient international order.
Cambodia fully supports the adoption of “the Baku Declaration of the 7th CICA Summit” and “the Statement on Cooperation in the Field of Occupational Safety and Health.”
- Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen!
In conclusion, Cambodia remains firmly committed to working closely with all CICA member States to realize the full potential of our Conference and to advance a more peaceful, resilient, inclusive, and prosperous Asia. At a time when trust is increasingly fragile, CICA reinforces our resolve to pursue dialogue, cooperation, and peaceful settlement of disputes, while rejecting confrontation, division, and the threat or use of force.
Let us therefore continue to bridge our differences through dialogue, strengthen mutual confidence through concrete cooperation, and uphold international law as the common foundation of relations among nations.
Thank you, Mr. Chair!