AKP, August 12, 2017 –Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, departed here this morning on a special flight for Laos to meet with his Lao counterpart H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith, on the ongoing border tension.
The Cambodian premier was accompanied by Samdech Pichey Sena Tea Banh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense; H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Gen. Pol Saroeun, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces; and many other relevant senior officials.
H.E. Sry Thamrong, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister, told reporters before the departure of the Cambodian high-level delegation that in Laos, Samdech Techo Hun Sen will negotiate as a neighbour with H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith and request the Lao side to withdraw all its armed forces from O’ Alay and O’ Ta Ngav in Siem Pang district, Stung Treng province bordering with Attapeu province of Laos.
Besides, he added, Samdech Techo Hun Sen will pay a courtesy call on the Lao president and attend a luncheon hosted by H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith.
So far, Laos has neither replied nor withdrawn its armed forces from Cambodian territory despite negotiations between both countries’ senior technical officials and top leaders as well as diplomatic notes and letters of protest, especially the letter of Samdech Techo Hun Sen dated Aug. 2, 2017 to H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith.
Prime Minister Hun Sen’s travel to Laos this time is a polite act with tolerance and will to settle the border dispute peacefully with the Lao side before taking other measures, including military and judicial interventions, in case these last efforts of Cambodia will not give any positive results.
The high-level Cambodian delegation will return home this afternoon.
by C. Nika
