Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence H.E. Gen. Tea Seiha responded this afternoon to accusations from the Thai military with the following statement:
“The Thai military has accused Cambodia of ‘turning its guns on Thai villages and military barracks. This is Cambodia’s national defence strategy. When we arm ourselves, it is to protect our territorial integrity. Clearly, our objective is to defend against threats. No army, including Cambodia’s, turns its guns on its own homeland.
Or perhaps the Thai military was trained differently than ours?
The peaceful path lies in negotiations between our two governments — whether political, economic, or otherwise. Military action should always be the last resort.
Cambodia stands ready to defend its territory. We have no intention of invading any neighbouring country.”
