KR Tribunal and Myanmar: 2 topics too hot for Hor Nam Hong to handle at the UN General Assembly

Foreign Minister Leaves Tribunal Out of UN Remarks

Poch Reasey, VOA Khmer
Original report from New York
02 October 2007

Hor Namhong, Deputy Prime Minster and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Cambodia, addresses the general debate of the sixty-second session of the General Assembly, at UN Headquarters in New York.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong addressed the UN General Assembly Monday, offering Cambodia's assistance in landmine removal to other countries, a modest solution on Iraq and a nod of thanks to the importance of climate change recognition.

He did not include mention of the UN-sponsored, $56 million Khmer Rouge tribunal.

Cambodia has had a lot of post-war experience to share with countries that suffer under landmines, he told the nations of the world, and would be willing to provide soldiers for removal of the devices similar to a recent mission to Sudan.

He also called on greenhouse gas producing countries to slowly limit their emissions.

Low-lying Cambodia and its Southeast Asian neighbors are susceptible to the rising sea levels and monsoon shifts that experts warn climate change could bring.

Cambodia's wartime experience demonstrated that a negotiated solution for Iraq's Muslim factions will pave the road to reconciliation, he said.

"Based on our own experience, the only option to bring peace and stability to Iraq, I believe, is national reconciliation with a win-win policy among the Shiites and Sunnies," he said.

Hor Namhong also talked about the war on terror, the dangers of weapons of mass destruction, the UN's Millennium Development Goals and the need to reform the UN. However the foreign minister neither mentioned the tribunal nor the situation in Burma.

Speaking to VOA by telephone from Phnom Penh, opposition leader Sam Rainsy said the minister should have used this important occasion to brief the world body on the tribunal's shortcomings.

"The Cambodian Foreign Minister should have reported to the UN the problems Cambodia is facing in the tribunals," Sam Rainsy said.

On Burma, the opposition leader said Cambodia should have reaffirmed its position against the junta.

Last week in New York, the Asean foreign ministers met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and afterwards issued a strong statement condemning the Burmese government for its bloody crackdown on monks and pro-democracy demonstrators.

In an interview with VOA Khmer Monday morning, Hor Namhong did address the Burma crackdown and the Khmer Rouge tribunal.

Prime Minister Hun Sen was prepared to help Burma resolve its situation, he said, without elaborating.

The tribunal was "proceeding nicely," he said, adding that he expected more cadre to be arrested now that the chief ideologue of the regime, Nuon Chea, was detained.

"After Nuon Chea, there will be other Khmer Rouge leaders who will be summoned for questioning," he said.

The health of Nuon Chea and the other tribunal defendant, Duch, was a concern, he said.

"I think about it too," he said. "I hope that when they detain them, there will be maximum health observance, paying maximum attention to their health so that those people will remain as witnesses or as being responsible for the most brutal genocide in mankind's history."

Hor Nam Hong urges comprehensive UN reforms ... when Cambodia couldn't even tidy up urgent reforms needed at home

October 02, 2007
Cambodia urges comprehensive UN reforms

Cambodia called for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations on Monday to make the world body responsive to 21st century problems.

"We are more than ever convinced of the urgent need for a comprehensive reform and not just the Security Council (UNSC), because we need to mobilize our collective efforts and wisdom to address the problems we are facing in this 21st century in a responsive and comprehensive way," Hor Namhong, Cambodia's deputy prime minister, said in a speech at the general debate of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly.

He stressed Phnom Penh's stance that reform of the UN must be comprehensive.

"Instead of focusing primarily on the reform of the Security Council, maybe we can first start with the reform which can lead to a consensus," Namhong, who also serve as Cambodia's foreign minister, said.

"We may commence with the ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) on how to make it more effective and more relevant to deal with the problems of development in the context of the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals).

"Afterward, for the General Assembly (UNGA), too, we certainly need to empower this institution more so that it could play a prominent role in addressing today's global problems, as a democratic, deliberative policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations," Namhong said.

"With the momentum and consensus building of the reform of both ECOSOC and UNGA, we could then move to the UNSC reform to ensure that it reflects today's realities with an equitable representation of developed and developing countries," he added.

Source: Xinhua

Hor Nam Hong's UN speech does not address Cambodia's hot issues, nor SE Asia regional issues

Click here to view the webcast of Comrade Hor Nam Hong's speech
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Statement by H.E. HOR Namhong
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of The Kingdom of Cambodia
At the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly General Debate

New York, 1 October 2007

-Mr. President,
-Excellencies,
-Lathes and Gendemen,

1. First of all, I wish to warmly congratulate H.E. Dr. Srgjan Kerim of the Republic of Macedonia for his election to the presidency of the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). I am confident that, under his able guidance, this year's Session will be concluded with success.

2. My appreciation also goes to H.E. Ms. Haya Rashed Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain for her brilliant leadership as the President of the 61st Session which has concluded with many achievements during the past year.

3. I am also very delighted to express my most cordial felicitations to H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon on his assumption as the UN Secretary-General. I have no doubt that under his wise leadership our World Body will certainly become even more relevant and effective in responding to the challenges facing us in the 21st Century.

I. GLOBAL SITUATION

Mr. President,

4. Today, the world continues to confront a myriad of problems, ranging from peace and security to development, such as terrorism, regional conflicts, poverty, global warming, pandemic diseases, and so forth. These old and new emerging crises are indeed of global proportion, which require greater collective efforts by the world community. Therefore, as UN member-states, we have to share the common responsibility to address these issues more effectively for the sake of humanity.

5. On "Weapons of Mass Destruction" (WMD), it is imperative that all states must fully comply with the existing non-proliferation legal instruments in order to build a better and safer world for all, particularly the "Non-Proliferation Treaty" (NPT) and the "Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty" that laid down a long-term perspective toward achieving a non-proliferation regime of WMD, and to prevent them from falling into terrorist hands which can trigger the gravest danger to the international community.

6. Combating terrorism remains one of the top priorities for all governments, no single country can deal with this unconventional threat without cooperation and concerted efforts which should be further strengthened, particularly in the areas of education, information-sharing among law enforcement autiiorities and intelligent [Ki-Media note: intelligence?] agencies.

7. In terms of security, we certainly cannot underestimate the illegal use and circulation of small arms and light weapons as they can be an equally dangerous source of terrorism, violence and regional conflicts. In this context, Cambodia believes that the 2001 "UN Program of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons" should remain the cornerstone for us all to work together to address this issue. In Cambodia, the Royal Government has developed a number of programs ranging from law enforcement on arms control to "the Program of Weapon for Development," which had successfully led to the seizure and destruction of more than 200,000 small arms and light weapons.

8. Likewise, landmines still remain nowadays a serious threat to many nations in the developing world, especially those facing armed conflicts at present as well as countries emerging from war. These "silent killers" have destroyed the lives of many innocent peoples and maimed countless of others. Landmines are not only a security problem, but a humanitarian one as the victims become permanently traumatized and physically handicapped, while their families suffer untold misery of spiritual and material deprivation. Landmines also have great impact on the economy and development, as the victims constitute a heavy economic and social burden for the governments.

9. In Cambodia the Royal Government is carrying out its campaign of mine clearance, by placing the de-mining operation in its relevant national agenda, such as "Cambodian Millennium Development Goals," as well as in the "Rectangular Strategy". Up to July this year, more than 1.5 million landmines had been cleared out,

10. To share our own experiences with other countries that are also victims of landmines, Cambodia has dispatched 135 de-miners of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces to Sudan for de-mining action under the umbrella of the United Nations Peace Keeping Operation.

Mr. President,

11. Everyone nowadays recognizes that climate change becomes one of the most serious threats to humanity and affects the whole world in this new century. To reverse this negative mega-trend, Cambodia is of the view that all countries should effectively implement the relevant UN instruments, especially the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol. We also call on countries that produce more greenhouse gas to commit to gradually reduce their emission as mush as possible. At the same time, we need to develop and share know-how on bio-energy in order to cope with measures against global warming. In addition, we need to stop the deforestation in the developing countries by assisting them with appropriated measures and resources.

12. In the framework of ASEAN, our Leaders will sign three important documents related to climate change, energy and environment, during the 13th ASEAN Summit in November of this year, in Singapore.

13. The signing of these declarations clearly reflects the political commitments which ASEAN, both collectively and individually, has attached to the issues of climate change.

14. Cambodia highly appreciates the UN's initiative for convening the "High-Level Event on Climate Change" here in New York, on 24 September. We hope that this High-Level meeting will lead to significant and concrete actions to address opportunely this very critical issue.

15. However, I believe that a world summit under the auspices of the United Nations would keep the climate change alive on the agenda of world's leaders. A global problem needs a global solution.

II. REGIONAL SITUA TION

16. With regard to regional situation, Cambodia welcomes the agreement in February this year through the process of the six-party talks leading to the closing down of Yongbyon nuclear facility in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK). This is a very positive step for peace, security and stability in the region. We hope that it will serve as an effective tool to pave the way for complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

17. Concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we applaud recent active diplomatic initiatives, in particular high-level talks between the prime minister of Israel and the President of the Palestinian Authority. We hope that these summits and activities will lead to a final solution for establishing a State of Palestine, coexisting permanently and peacefully side by side with Israel, in order to end the killing and the suffering of their peoples and for the sake of peace and security in this region.

18. With regard to the current appalling situation in Iraq, we applaud the recent decision of the U.S. to reduce a sizeable number of its troops. However, the final and decisive solution depends on how the Iraqi people might reconcile among itself. This is a sine qua non condition to end the civil war in that country. If not, I fear that chaos would be ensued after the pull out of U.S. troops.

19. Based on our own experience, the only option to bring peace and stability to Iraq, I believe, is national reconciliation with a Win-Win policy among the Shiites and Sunnis. But the main question we should ponder is who or which country can contribute to the initial process of trust building before any genuine reconciliation can be achieved.

III. CAMBODIA AND THEMILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Mr. President,

20. This year is the mid-term between the adoption of the MDGs in September 2000 and the 2015 target date. Despite some progress in general, the developing countries, however, have been facing difficulties in meeting the MDG's requirements, in spite of many high-level meetings taking place around the world to center on the agenda of improving economic development and the livelihood of the peoples in the developing countries, such as the Monterrey Consensus and the Johannesburg Plan of Action. But, in reality, the situation of the developing countries has not much improved. What we need now is a strong commitment and a political will by all, in particular the developed world, to ensure that the globalization will be a globalization of wealth for all peoples living in this planet. It is not a dream, but should be a goal for all.

21. For Cambodia, the Royal Government has come up with its own "Cambodian Millennium Development Goals" (CMDGs), in addition to the Rectangular Strategy and the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) of 2006-2010 to work toward achieving sustainable development and poverty reduction. The carrying out of these national blueprints has yielded a strong economic growth at an average rate of more than 11% during the last three years (2004, 2005, 2006).

22. Therefore, at the Annual Review Ministerial Meeting of the ECOSOC held in Geneva, in July of this year, Cambodia was invited with other five countries to "make a national presentation on actual progress" in implementing the Cambodian MDGs.

IV. THE UNITED NATIONS

Mr. President,

23. Concerning our august body, the U.N, we are more than ever convinced of the urgent need for a comprehensive reform and not just the Security Council, because we need to mobilize our collective efforts and wisdom to address the problems we are facing in this 21st century in a responsive and comprehensive way.

24. There is no doubt that the current status quo does not correspond with the challenges posed by the world today. Cambodia is of the view that the reform of the United Nations must be comprehensive. So, instead of focusing primarily only on the reform of the Security Council, may be we can first start with the reform which can lead to a consensus. For example, we may commence with the ECOSOC on how to make it more effective and more relevant to deal with the problems of development in the context of the MDGs. Afterward, for the General Assembly, too, we certainly need to empower this institution more so that it could play a prominent role in addressing today's global problems, as a democratic, deliberative policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations. With the momentum and consensus building of the reform of both ECOSOC and UNGA, we could then move to the UNSC reform to ensure that it reflects today's realities with a equitable representation of developed and developing countries.

Mr. President,

25. To conclude, I would say that our world is currently being confronted with serious menaces of greater proportion and severe regional crises. At the same time, development and poverty are still high on the agenda in many parts of the world. Therefore, we need a more leading role of the United Nations to effectively respond to these challenges.

Thank you.

Comrade Hor Nam Hong visits New York ... George W. Bush is not scheduled to meet him

Foreign Minister of Cambodia Hor Namhong addresses the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters Monday, Oct. 1, 2007. (AP Photo/Ed Betz)

Foreign Minister Top Ranking Delegate at Assembly

Poch Reasey, VOA Khmer
Original report from New York
01 October 2007

As leaders from across the globe gathered in New York Monday for the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong arrived for meetings with delegations and leaders.

Hor Namhong sought meetings with some leaders and met, as part of an Asean delegation, with US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

Hor Namhong was expected to address the Khmer Rouge tribunal, climate change and its affects on Cambodia and Burma's human rights record at the Assembly.

The White House had said ahead of the UN meeting that US President George W. Bush would meet 20 leaders from countries with rights problems and fledgling democracies, but Cambodia was not among these.

Hor Nam Hong to participate at the 62nd UN General Assembly

Friday, September 21, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Hor Nam Hong, vice-prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, will participate at the upcoming 62nd UN General Assembly. According to information distributed by the ministry of foreign affairs, Horn Nam Hong will participate in the UN General Assembly between 25 September and 03 October 2007, in New York City. The information also indicated that beyond participating at the UN General Assembly, he will also participate in unofficial meeting with ASEAN foreign affairs ministers, with Condoleeza Rice, the US Secretary of State, in meeting between ASEAN foreign affairs ministers and the UN Secretary-general, and the president of the General Assembly. On 27 September, he will also participate in a meeting between ASEAN foreign affairs ministers and the President of the World Bank, as well as in other bilateral meetings. Hor Nam Hong will deliver his speech to the UN General Assembly on 01 October 2007.