Oddar Meanchey province in Cambodia, which was damaged by Thai shelling during the July 24-28 clashes. The ceasefire remains fragile despite both sides pledging compliance. - PPP/ANN
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia used its September 27 address to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to underscore its transformation from a war-torn country which was once under UN peacekeeping supervision to an active global contributor to peace.
The Kingdom’s message of progress and international solidarity, however, was overshadowed by warnings that the country’s hard-won peace is now threatened by escalating border tensions with Thailand.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn told the assembly that Cambodia’s journey “embodies the UNGA-80 theme, namely countries once in need can now become providers of peace and stability for others”.
“Since 2006, Cambodia has deployed more than 10,000 peacekeepers — including over 800 women — to ten UN missions worldwide,” he said.
These forces have protected civilians, cleared landmines and supported the rebuilding of war-torn communities.
Sokhonn noted that Cambodia is also serving as a member of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, assisting other nations emerging from conflict.
However, in a sobering turn, the Cambodian foreign minister said that while Cambodia remains committed to building peace abroad, it now faces a direct threat to peace at home.
“It is therefore deeply painful to inform this august assembly that the hard-won peace that we so profoundly cherish and wholeheartedly share around the world is today threatened in our own home. Not by internal division like in the past, but by border conflict with a neighbour,” he said.
He was presumably referring to Thailand, which he accused of undermining the fragile ceasefire which effectively halted the July 24-28 armed clashes that caused death, injury and destruction, as well as the displacement of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.
The ceasefire remains fragile despite both sides pledging compliance. True sincerity and trust can only be proven when respect for the agreements is matched by real action on the ground, he noted.
He emphasised that Cambodian forces have consistently observed the ceasefire “with utmost restraint, even in the face of repeated incidents and provocations”.
He also claimed that Thai forces fired mortar rounds and small arms at Cambodian troops stationed in An Seh village, Choam Ksan district, Preah Vihear province Saturday (Sept 27).
Sokhonn told the world that as recently as the morning of his address, Cambodian troops came under “an unprovoked attack near a sensitive site” but refrained from retaliating.
Guided by the same spirit that ended the Kingdom’s internal conflict nearly three decades ago, Sokhonn reaffirmed Cambodian calls for dialogue and peaceful settlement, urging both sides to adhere strictly to ceasefire terms and international agreements.
He appealed to Asean, the UN secretary-general and the broader international community to help de-escalate tensions, warning that continued violations could undermine regional peace.
“Cambodia is a small nation focussed on rebuilding our economy and improving the well-being of our people. We pose no threat to the sovereignty of any country,” he said.
“While we will always safeguard our independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, the use of force remains a last resort,” he added.
The minister concluded his address by expressing Cambodia’s determination to “transform border areas into zones of peace, friendship, cooperation and shared prosperity”, even as the latest incidents cast a shadow over the country’s decades-long journey from conflict victim to peacebuilder. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
