Manila Standard Today
The Cambodian government has appointed Foreign Affairs undersecretary Tout Panha as the new ambassador to the Philippines, replacing Hos Serathon, who struck a raw nerve with his remark that the Philippines and Vietnam were playing “dirty politics” on the South China Sea issue.
In a letter to a major daily, Sereython accused Manila and Hanoi of stalling last month’s Asean foreign ministers meeting in Phnom Penh by pushing for an “inflexible and non-negotiable” position on territorial disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
After the story came out, Sereython was summoned by the Foreign Affairs to explain his remark, but the Cambodian envoy did not appear, pleading illness.
On July 30, after receiving a note verbale from the DFA, Sereython and his family left for Cambodia. He was sent off at the airport by Cambodian ministry officials and was escorted by airport police instead of the usual protocol officers.
Last week, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong had announced that Sereython had been recalled and would be immediately replaced.
Sereython’s term was supposed to end on July 27, 2013. Instead, the new envoy will complete Sereython’s remaining year as Cambodian ambassador to the Philippines, and will end at the close of Cambodia’s chairmanship of the Association of South East Asian Nations.
Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Koung explained that the early recall of Sereython and appointment of a new ambassador was normal.
“There’s nothing strange about the government or the ministry changing ambassador as it was seen to be necessary,” he said in a statement posted in a state-owned website Cambodia Herald.
“The change of ambassador to the Philippines is a normal thing and there is no change in Cambodia-Philippine relations,” he added.
On Wednesday, Department of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario confirmed that a female ambassador was set to replace Sereython.
“She’s a lady who is quite high up in the ministry. I think that she holds an assistant Secretary Rank now,” Del Rosario said without adding any more details on her background.
Del Rosario had said that Sereython’s recent remark does not affect the Philippine’s 55-year bilateral relations with Cambodia.
“I don’t think if affects the bilateral relations at all. I like to think that we are looking at healthy bilateral relations with Cambodia,” Del Rosario said.
DFA spokesman Rual Hernandez also explained that it is the prerogative of governments to appoint or to recall ambassadors.
“The appointment of a new ambassador as well as the request for facilitation of the agrément attests to the continued commitment to strengthen relations,” he said.
Hernandez said a foreign minister recalls its representative because he feels that the envoy could function better in other countries, or his or her expertise is necessary in another place, or his or her performance in his or her current posting was not anymore effective.
Cambodia is known as a staunch ally of China, which has an ongoing dispute with at least four Asean members—Vietnam,. Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei—on overlapping claims in the West Philippine Sea.
The other claimant is Taiwan, a former province of mainland China.
Of the four claimants from the ASEAN, the Philippines and Vietnam have recently clashed with China over claims on the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, Macclesfield Bank and the Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal.
Beijing claims ownership of at least 90 percent the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea), saying that it has sovereign rights to exploit the rich resources in the islands.
Manila, however said it owns the territories within its 200-nautical miles economic exclusive zones as provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or Unclos.
Manila and Hanoi had both lodged several diplomatic protests over the increasing assertion of China over the disputed waters.
In a letter to a major daily, Sereython accused Manila and Hanoi of stalling last month’s Asean foreign ministers meeting in Phnom Penh by pushing for an “inflexible and non-negotiable” position on territorial disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
After the story came out, Sereython was summoned by the Foreign Affairs to explain his remark, but the Cambodian envoy did not appear, pleading illness.
On July 30, after receiving a note verbale from the DFA, Sereython and his family left for Cambodia. He was sent off at the airport by Cambodian ministry officials and was escorted by airport police instead of the usual protocol officers.
Last week, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong had announced that Sereython had been recalled and would be immediately replaced.
Sereython’s term was supposed to end on July 27, 2013. Instead, the new envoy will complete Sereython’s remaining year as Cambodian ambassador to the Philippines, and will end at the close of Cambodia’s chairmanship of the Association of South East Asian Nations.
Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Koung explained that the early recall of Sereython and appointment of a new ambassador was normal.
“There’s nothing strange about the government or the ministry changing ambassador as it was seen to be necessary,” he said in a statement posted in a state-owned website Cambodia Herald.
“The change of ambassador to the Philippines is a normal thing and there is no change in Cambodia-Philippine relations,” he added.
On Wednesday, Department of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario confirmed that a female ambassador was set to replace Sereython.
“She’s a lady who is quite high up in the ministry. I think that she holds an assistant Secretary Rank now,” Del Rosario said without adding any more details on her background.
Del Rosario had said that Sereython’s recent remark does not affect the Philippine’s 55-year bilateral relations with Cambodia.
“I don’t think if affects the bilateral relations at all. I like to think that we are looking at healthy bilateral relations with Cambodia,” Del Rosario said.
DFA spokesman Rual Hernandez also explained that it is the prerogative of governments to appoint or to recall ambassadors.
“The appointment of a new ambassador as well as the request for facilitation of the agrément attests to the continued commitment to strengthen relations,” he said.
Hernandez said a foreign minister recalls its representative because he feels that the envoy could function better in other countries, or his or her expertise is necessary in another place, or his or her performance in his or her current posting was not anymore effective.
Cambodia is known as a staunch ally of China, which has an ongoing dispute with at least four Asean members—Vietnam,. Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei—on overlapping claims in the West Philippine Sea.
The other claimant is Taiwan, a former province of mainland China.
Of the four claimants from the ASEAN, the Philippines and Vietnam have recently clashed with China over claims on the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, Macclesfield Bank and the Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal.
Beijing claims ownership of at least 90 percent the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea), saying that it has sovereign rights to exploit the rich resources in the islands.
Manila, however said it owns the territories within its 200-nautical miles economic exclusive zones as provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or Unclos.
Manila and Hanoi had both lodged several diplomatic protests over the increasing assertion of China over the disputed waters.
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