Prime Minister Hun Sen, as Asean chair, and other region leaders were warmly welcomed by US president Joe Biden as the Asean-US summit on May 12 in Washington. - Phnom Penh Post/ANN
PHNPM PENH, May 13 (Phnom Penh Post/ANN): Prime Minister Hun Sen, as Asean chair, and other Asean leaders were warmly welcomed by US president Joe Biden as the Asean-US summit May 12-13 kicked off today in Washington.
“This evening, I welcomed Aseam leaders to the White House for the first time in history, and reaffirmed the US commitment to Southeast Asia.
“We discussed the importance of working together to ensure security, prosperity, and respect for human rights for our one billion people,” tweeted President Biden
Prime Minister Hun Sen posted on social media, saying that Asean leaders had paid their condolences for the death of his late elder brother Hun Neng.
“During my trip this time, what surprised and made me happy was that President Joe Biden said to me: I share my condolences with you for the death of Your Excellency’s brother,” Hun Sen said.
“He [Biden] is a person of sentiment and was very respectful, as he has also lost close family members – he understood my sorrow and shared his own grief with me,” he added.
He said that the US had shown their appreciation to him for making the trip to the US in order to make sure the summit was a success.
Hun Sen also asked a public relations and advocacy company based in the US to help explain the confusion around the situation at Ream Naval base, in order to restore Cambodia-US relations.
Speaking to Scott David Parven, representative of Akin Gump, Hun Sen said that more work needed to be done to clear ‘confusion’ surrounding the relationship between the two countries.
“The US made accusations that there was a Chinese military presence at the base. This simply cannot be true because Cambodia has a firm position in adhering to principles of neutrality, as stated in our constitution. Cambodia has no policy that would make it choose between China and the US,” said Hun Sen, via social media.
Hun Sen told Parven that Cambodia had postponed military exercises with the US in 2017 due to its elections, but that the postponement was not intended to sever military ties with the US. Ream Naval Base is open to visitors from all countries who wish to dock there, as per request.
Parven said that his company had contacted many US leaders in congress and the government to help them understand the Cambodian positions on bilateral relation, Asean and international affairs, climate change, trade, and the humanitarian efforts Cambodia has made.
Parven said Cambodia should be appreciated and valued more for its achievements. - Phnom Penh Post/ANN
