PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Manet will meet French President Emmanuel Macron next week as he attends the One Health Summit during a working visit to Paris and Lyon, France, from April 6-9. Some analysts have suggested that that Manet could use the occasion to leverage border solution.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Manet was personally invited by Macron.
Manet and his wife Pich Chanmony will be accompanied by foreign minister Prak Sokhonn, along with other senior officials.
The One Health Summit is a flagship event under France's presidency of the G7 in 2026. It serves as a high-level platform which will bring together heads of state and government, representatives of international organisations, civil society, scientists and multilateral development banks to deliberate on the interconnected challenges of human health, animal health and ecosystems, according to the foreign ministry.
“During his stay in France, the prime minister is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with French dignitaries and the leaders of several other countries to exchange views on further strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation across a wide range of sectors,” it added.
Cambodia has requested French support to facilitate historic documents from the colonial era, to support ongoing legal resolutions to the current border dispute with Thailand.
Prominent analyst Kin Phea, director of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, believed that Manet’s trip provides a strategic opportunity for him to clarify realities of the border dispute,.
“Beyond addressing historical grievances, it serves as a formal platform for Cambodia to call for the reaffirmation of international legal conventions, bilateral treaties, maps and authentic cartographic and historical records that safeguard territorial integrity,” he explained.
Phea noted that Cambodia has remained steadfast in its commitment to resolving border issues through peaceful diplomacy and established legal frameworks.
“By prioritising dialogue over confrontation and the rule of law over the use of force, Cambodia underscores its role as a responsible state dedicated to regional stability and the principles of international law,” he said. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
