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| Hor Monirath |
By Hor Monirath
Ambassador of Cambodia to Japan
Tokyo
A week after the 45th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) on July 9-13 in Phnom Penh, which ended without the issuance of ASEAN's traditional Joint Communique, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers agreed on ASEAN's Six-Point Principles to deal with the South China Sea issue. The Statement of ASEAN Foreign Ministers on ASEAN's Six-Point Principles on the South China Sea was issued on July 20.
However, we have noted with deep disappointment that during the last two weeks, there has been a lot of media attention across the region (including The Japan Times July 21 editorial "Divisions serve to weaken ASEAN") that has turned the issue into a polemic.
Critically, some media have gone as far as to try to paint a bleak picture of Cambodia's Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. As Chair of ASEAN, while deeply regretting the nonissuance of the Joint Communique, the Embassy wishes to clarify Cambodia's view and position:
● Over the past 45 years, it was the first time that two ASEAN member states had "hijacked" the AMM by making the inclusion of a direct reference to their bilateral disputes in the South China Sea as a sine qua non for their endorsement of the 45th AMM's Joint Communique.
● Of the more than 130 key points in the Joint Communique, there was only one point on which the ASEAN Foreign Ministers could not reach consensus. It should be noted that Cambodia's proposal was accepted by all ASEAN Foreign Ministers, except by the two ASEAN member states having bilateral territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
● Cambodia's position of principle is that ASEAN should not take sides. As a matter of practice, the Joint Communique of the previous AMM only mentioned the issue of the South China Sea in general, and made no reference to any specific islands or areas in the South China Sea.
● The AMM is not a court that can rule against or in favor of anybody in relation to bilateral disputes.
● As the ASEAN Chair, and as it is the role of the Chair of any meeting, Cambodia tried to prevent the dispute from further flaring up and to avoid adding fuel to the fire. Cambodia's intention is to leave the door open for future talks by the countries concerned.
● The assertion that Cambodia's loyalty has been "bought" by China in relation to the South China Sea issue is intellectually ludicrous. If the position taken by Cambodia is seen as having been "bought" by a larger nation, then could the same be said of the position taken by other sovereign states if it appears to be in line with that of a more powerful nation?
Cambodia is only trying to be neutral in bilateral disputes. If Cambodia is seen as a "paid proxy" for receiving large investments from a foreign country, then the same could be said of other countries that receive large investments from foreign countries.
The Embassy wishes to draw readers' attention to the fact that the Statement of ASEAN Foreign Ministers on ASEAN's Six-Point Principles on the South China Sea makes no direct reference to any bilateral dispute, and that the position expressed in the Statement is the same as that which Cambodia had proposed during several restricted meetings but which were flatly rejected by the two ASEAN members with bilateral disputes in the South China Sea.
This makes one wonder whether there was a plan to sabotage the 45th AMM and put the blame on the ASEAN Chair when the same position put forth by the latter was not accepted by the two countries. The Embassy hopes that this clarification helps readers understand the root cause of this complicated issue.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.
7 comments:
I do agree! This is what can happen when the flyby media allowed repeating the same lie and the bullshit over and over again until stupid people believe in it! The whole bullshit about the South China Sea is purely about bilateral issue between nations!
Hor Nam Hong is Cambodia foreign minister who has at least two sons are also Cambodia ambassadors.
Could we say the Hor Dynasty of Cambodia Foreign Ministry?
they qualified in their own rights, not because their father was a long time diplomat. then what you say about doctors in the family, if the father or mother is a doctor, then some of the children might study to become doctors was well, nothing wrong with that either, really!
One would need to distinguish qualify" from "study" in this case. Just because you had studied does not make you qualified to become a diplomat. Who else was on the shortlist?
I admit this letter is by far the best among other letters issued by other Cambodian embassies abroad. That said, if I were the writter I would use different format to convey the message.
There is a better way to defend our decision or action without making ourself look like a boy fighting in the school yard.
To 1:01 PM,
I think the most stupid person is you, because you have read the above letter that was written by Cambodian ambassador to Japan, not Cambodian ambassador to the Phillipine.
So your problem is - You don't understand english. You're just assume like your leader ah HUN SEN.
To 9:09AM
Duh!I cannot stand it when dumb Cambodian like you try to argue with me! In my writing did I write about the Philippines? Did you see the word Philippines in my writing? Of course not you Jackass! In fact I wrote about South China Sea not the Philippines! ahahhahah
Yes...I know it is Hor Monirath Ambassador of Cambodia to Japan because it is clearly printed in black ink on top of the article!
Thank God there is only one Cambodian like you exist in this world otherwise Cambodia will be deep shit!
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