PHNOM PENH (Khmer Times): Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that resolving border issues is complex and must be approached with patience and persistence and through legal and diplomatic channels.
On Saturday (May 31), he spoke to about 1,600 Cambodians living, working, and studying in Tokyo, Japan.
The Prime Minister emphasised that border demarcation should be managed by the countries’ designated border committees rather than through military conflict.
Referring to the clash that occurred on Wednesday, he warned that if the situation had not been addressed quickly, the death toll could have risen from one to potentially one hundred, and the conflict could have spread along the entire border.
He also indicated that taking border disputes to international court should be considered only as a last resort, stating, “Once it reaches the court, negotiations will no longer be possible.”
Furthermore, the Prime Minister strongly disapproved of opposition claims suggesting that the Royal Government allowed the Thai army to fire on Cambodian troops in order to distract the public from online crime issues. He condemned attempts to demoralise Cambodian forces during this sensitive time.
“This is a moment for national unity,” he said. “We must support and uplift our soldiers who are risking their lives to protect the territorial integrity of our homeland,” questioning the opposition’s intentions behind their efforts to sow division between army generals and frontline soldiers.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed the Royal Government’s commitment, alongside the Ministry of National Defence and the Cambodian Armed Forces, to peacefully resolve border disputes and to safeguard Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. - Khmer Times
