Opening Keynote Address by His Excellency Dr. Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister Minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers on “The Future of US-Cambodian Bilateral Relations” at the 60th Anniversary Academic Symposium

Chaktomuk Hall, Phnom Penh July 21, 2010

Her Excellency Carol A. Rodley, U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia
His Royal Highness Prince Norodom Sirivudh, Member of the Constitutional Council of Cambodia and Supreme Privy to His Majesty the King of Cambodia
Excellencies Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Let me begin by thanking the Embassy of the United States of America in Cambodia for inviting me to participate in this 60th Anniversary Academic Symposium to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the United States of America. The subject of my keynote address is “the Future of the US-Cambodian Bilateral Relations.” I believe the Symposium will provide a useful platform for better understanding and promoting US-Cambodian relations through exchanges of views among government officials, researchers and scholars specializing in Cambodian politics, history and international relations.

With the presence of senior policy making officials, speakers and distinguished participants, I would like to share with you all in a comprehensive way my perception regarding the US-Cambodian relations during the last 60 years.  

Historically, diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the United States of America were established in 1950 at the level of Charge d’Affaires, four months after the United States recognized Cambodia. Legation status was raised to that of Embassy in 1952. As a result, Cambodia enjoyed US socio-economic development assistance, including the construction of the Khmer-American Friendship Highway.

However, diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the United States were officially cut in 1965, as Cambodia became a sideshow to America’s war in Vietnam. Relations resumed in 1969 and continued after the 1970 coup that established the Khmer Republic. This new government, led by General Lon Nol, received military assistance from the United States, until 12 April 1975, when the U.S. mission in Phnom Penh was evacuated. Consequently, Cambodia is now indebted to the U.S. government, with interest, totalling US$358 million.

The Cambodian people still hope the United States will positively consider cancelling this debt in the interests of the reconstruction and development of Cambodia.

While Cambodian people were struggling for survival, our hardship and suffering would have been lessened had the embargo not been imposed throughout the 1980s by the United States and a number of other nations.

In November 1991 after the signing of the Paris Peace Agreements, the United States re-established its mission in the Kingdom of Cambodia, with the appointment of a Special Representative to the Supreme National Council. Subsequently, the US lifted its embargo resulting in the normalization of diplomatic and economic relations between our two countries.

Military assistance from the US resumed in 2005, legislative restrictions on bilateral assistance were lifted in 2007, and President Barack Obama removed Cambodia from the trade black list in 2009, further promoting trade between the two countries.

From 1992 to 2009, the United States has provided more than US$700 million in assistance for healthcare, education, good governance, economic development, demining and other programs through non-governmental organizations. With the political and financial support from US, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia was successfully established. Recently the US promised to make a further contribution of US$5 million in support of the UN side of the court’s operations.

On behalf of the Cambodian people I would like to express our deep thanks to the US Government for providing financial assistance to the health sector, in particular in combating infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, and mother-child health care.

Since 2009 economic cooperation between the US and Cambodia has started a new phase, with assistance funding to come from government-to-government rather than through NGO channels. I wish to encourage direct cooperation between our governments. This government-to-government initiative should be soon put into practice, with the Cambodian government assuming ownership and responsibility for the implementation of the projects.

On May 2010, Cambodia was selected among 20 countries to receive US assistance under President Barack Obama’s new “Feed the Future” food security initiative.

Cambodia is committed to human resources development, and I do hope the United States will provide more scholarships to deserving Cambodian students and enlarge the admission for students who are able to pay their own way to study in America. Cooperation with American partners is particularly welcome in the more advanced technological sectors and especially in the field of vocational training.

To help promote democracy in Cambodia, the United States, through the International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute, has provided assistance in capacity building for political parties and in democratization process at all levels, in particular at the grass-roots level. I would also like to acknowledge the US Peace Corps for their activities in rural areas of Cambodia.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

Cooperation has been an important factor in the economic success of Cambodia in the last two decades. Cambodia has Most Favoured Nation status with the US, and is a beneficiary under their Generalized System of Preferences. We have signed the Bilateral Textile Agreement and Trade and Investment Framework Agreement to further promote bilateral trade and investment. The United States is the largest market for Cambodian garment exports. Yet the US, one of the largest investors in the world, still has modest amount of investment in Cambodia.

I therefore take this opportunity, on behalf of the Royal Government, to invite American business leaders to explore opportunities for trade and investment in sectors in which Cambodia has comparative advantage. I would like to encourage the US-ASEAN Business Council to work more closely with Cambodian business partners and relevant investment authorities to bring more US investors to Cambodia.      

Cambodia has made rapid strides since the early 1990s in establishing a firm foundation for sustained development. Since 1993, the Cambodian economy has undergone a dramatic structural transformation to a free market economy. Economic growth, traditionally based on agriculture, is now increasingly driven by the industrial and service sectors.

One of the outstanding achievements of Samdach Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, is the implementation of the win-win policy that has resulted in gaining political stability, full peace and national unity in Cambodia. A sense of confidence and pride now pervades the country that bodes well for the future of the economic reform and social progress.
 
With the formal admission to ASEAN and the WTO, Cambodia has accelerated on wide-ranging reforms within public administration, the legal and judicial systems, public financial management, decentralization and deconcentration, natural resources management  and the reform of the  Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

With the efforts made by the Royal Government of Cambodia, GDP grew at an average annual double-digit rate between 2003 to 2007, the per capita income grew fourfold, and poverty incidence dropped from 100% in 1979, to 50% in 1994, to 30% in 2007, and less today.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

Despite some misunderstandings and somewhat different approaches, the cooperation between Cambodia and the United States has been deepened and strengthened in many fields, such as accounting for Americans Missing in Action, the war on terrorism, fighting human trafficking, illicit drugs, and corruption.

Regarding the contentious issue of human rights, I would like to emphasise that the US and Cambodia should respect each other’s positions.

Cambodia and the United States cooperate bilaterally. The two countries are also partners in regional and global initiatives. Regionally, for example, in the US-Lower Mekong Initiative and in projects in the Mekong River Basin, while internationally, Cambodia has sent de-miners to take part in UN peacekeeping missions. Royal Cambodian and U.S. Armed forces are presently participating in the “Global Peace Operation Initiative,” a military exercise in Cambodia involving more than a thousand troops from 26 countries.

Dialogue between US and ASEAN plays an important role in regional cooperation and security. In this context, from Cambodia’s point of view, meetings between US and ASEAN leaders should be held frequently. Through closer cooperation, the US and ASEAN can build confidence and reinforce understanding for their mutual benefit.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

Let me now briefly elaborate on the recent tension between the Kingdoms of Cambodia and Thailand.

For almost 50 years, Thailand never openly challenged the 1962 International Court of Justice decision, a case heard with the former US Secretary of State, Dean Acheson, representing the Cambodian side. Cambodian people still remember the work done by Dean Acheson for our country. 

It was with international support, including the US delegation, that in 2008 the Temple of Preah Vihear was successfully inscribed on the World Heritage list.

On 15 July 2008, one week after the inscription of the Temple of Preah Vihear on the World Heritage List, Thai armed forces invaded the area of Preah Vihear by groundlessly claiming it as a "disputed area," and now as "Thai territory."

The current tension between Cambodia and Thailand stems from the “secret unilateral map,” drawn by Thailand after their first map was rejected by the International Court of Justice in 1962. This map clearly shows the frontier line between Cambodia and Thailand running within the Cambodian territory in the area of Preah Vihear. Every argument made by Thailand is based on this mysteriously produced “secret unilateral map” which has never been recognised by any other country in the world.
 
The Annex I map used by the International Court of Justice to make their 1962 decision has international legal recognition and legitimacy.

Thailand does not only challenge the decision of the International Court of Justice and the World Heritage Committee, but has also created the armed conflict between the two countries.

Cambodia is using all peaceful means through bilateral negotiations and discussions to solve this unnecessary tension, while Thailand is creating new problems as a ‘smoke-screen’, for instance, insisting on using a Thai name of "Phra Viharn" to refer to the Cambodian Temple of Preah Vihear, which is the only legal name used by the International Court of Justice and the World Heritage Committee.

Cambodia has to exercise its obligation to defend its territorial integrity over land legally owned and administered by Cambodia with international legitimacy when an act of invasion occurs. Thailand must uphold its international obligations under the framework of international law.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

In conclusion, for the United States and Cambodia to cultivate closer bilateral relations, our two countries should focus on the following key areas:

• Bilateral trade including the duty-free provision for Cambodian-made garments and the lowering of tariff levies on other Cambodian products.
• Investment, not only in the oil and gas sector but also in the agriculture and tourism sectors.
• Promotion of Cambodia, with over 300,000 new workers annually entering into the labour force, as a stable production base for American companies.
• Educational cooperation, with emphasis on vocational training.
• Further strengthening of bilateral, regional and global cooperation.
• Strengthening of government-to-government relations by encouraging meetings between leaders, officials and the peoples of the US and Cambodia.

We Cambodians want to believe the fence design and the architecture of the new American Embassy in Phnom Penh reflect a new openness and transparency in the US policy towards Cambodia.

United States and Cambodian relations have come of age. The two countries are now moving forward together, not with Cambodia as an “interest”, but with Cambodia as a partner and a friend.

Looking back to the history of 60 years of our diplomatic relations, we notice that during the last couple of years we have enjoyed increasingly good and fruitful relations and cooperation. As the Government and people of Cambodia, we wish not only to keep these good existing diplomatic ties, but also to further strengthen and broaden our future relations and friendship.     

I would like to conclude by expressing my deep appreciation to the Embassy of the United States for taking the initiative to host this Symposium, and I wish Your Excellencies, scholars, researchers and all participants good health, an enjoyable stay in Cambodia, and the great success of the Symposium’s deliberations.

Thank you for your attention!