[…] We believe that the Board of Peace will be a valuable addition to the existing international organizations’ mechanisms to promote peace, stability, and also to build and secure peace in many regions that are affected and threatened by war and conflicts. Cambodia right now has been in a border issue with Thailand over the past 6 months, and we hope that the Board of Peace will also play a role in helping to restore peace and stability between Cambodia and Thailand as well. […]
[…] Unfortunately, so far it is still fragile. We still have Thai forces occupying deep into Cambodian territory in many areas. This is further beyond even Thailand’s own unilateral claim border line. Also, certain activities that have been conducted by Thai troops, such as laying of containers and barbed wire to block the roads, … we have about 80,000 people displaced, who cannot go home now because of the blockage. So, this is not an accusation, but it’s a statement of the facts on the ground. […]
[…] It’s already stated clearly that both sides will use JBC as a mechanism to settle the demarcation works. No other mechanism or the use of force can alter or determine the boundary of a country. So, our position is that we want to have this JBC, ensure the technical work resumes as fast as possible to determine whose land belongs to. Cambodia does not want or wish to infringe on our neighbor’s sovereignty or territorial integrity. We also do not accept the violation of our sovereignty or territorial integrity.
So, the only way to verify that is using the technical mechanism that we have based on treaties, and all the agreements we have. We hope that Thailand will agree and start to allow the JBC to work as earliest as possible as stated in the joint statement on the 27th of December […] So, now as their election is done, we hope that Thailand can start, at least on the technical level, to measure or demarcate in the hot zone, so that we can go back to life […]
[…] We had clearly stated first that our Constitution does not allow us to have any countries to have military bases on our land. We did not change the Constitution because we did not intend to have any base there. Second, during the construction period, many ships were not able to go in because of the construction. We said once it’s done, we will open up for all the friendship visits which happen. So, we have nothing to hide on this because we have an obligation to our people also that we do not allow any foreign military base there.
As for Cambodia to choose a relationship with China over the US or the US over China, it’s not our choice. We are a sovereign country; we pursue the policy of friendship with all countries. Each relationship with any country is not mutually exclusive. Our relationship with the US, China, Japan, and others is based on respect and shared interests between our two countries. So, there shouldn’t be any doubt on that […]