Selected Comments Samdech Techo Hun Sen at the Graduation and Diploma Presenting Ceremony of the Chenla University

[Unofficial Translation]

CNV: 

Let Us Safeguard Peace for National Development

[…] Our country is in a process of development to move from a least income to one with lower-middle income country. Our ambition is to advance by 2030 into one with higher-middle income. With our economic growth at 7% per annum, I am confident that we will be able to realize this endeavor. We already have a road map. We only need to make efforts altogether to guarantee that our country is in peace for the sake of national development.

Living in a Complicated World

No country in this world, while in its state of war, would realize its development. As we already learnt from the past and in the present how countries while being at war bogged down in problems yet to settle.

Kurd’s Quest for Independence

In Iraq, while engaging in the war with ISIS, they would soon have this issue with the establishment of Kurdish state, after the Kurds launched a referendum to separate from Iraq. The question here is how would the central government in Baghdad react to the Kurdish quest for independence? How would other countries – Iran, the US, etc. react to it? […] Since the Kurds are the one who fight ISIS as well, this dilemma would only grant benefit to ISIS. We will wait and see, what is going to come out of it […] It is quite a delicate issue and the world (we are living in) is so complicated.

Nuclear Crisis in the Korean Peninsula

The nuclear crisis in the Peninsula is hard to predict. In days, Washington and Pyongyang traded words of threats on one another. One threatens to fire upon the other and vice versa. Conflict temperature rises […] in 2006-2007, there were talks about shooting down the North Korean missile once it fired. We have not seen that. Lately the North Koreans fired three times over Japan. They have made it clear that should they wish to land their missiles in Japan, they could. Would there be anything shield to catch them? If they have anything to catch them in the air, where would the debris go? […]

This Is Not Time for Weapons of Mass Destruction

Military exercises held in Japan and South Korea led to thinking in North Korea as some kind of threats. They resorted to fire missiles. More missiles shot, many military exercises held. This tit-for-tat situation has placed the world in an uncertain nuclear dilemma. If a nuclear war happens, the world would face disaster. However, I have a confidence that involved parties will work together to find a peaceful resolution. This is not time to fight one another with weapons of mass destruction […]

There Should Be Negotiations to Avert War of Mass Destruction

I wish to take this occasion to inform our workers in South Korea and their families that we should not be too concerned about this issue. I believe that war will not happen. We have seen such threats hundreds of time. However, the war will not happen because it will not leave anyone a victor. They all would lose. The US has been king resounding voice but it is far away. Japan and South Korea are specially and likely to be real victims should the war happen. South Korea and Japan, especially South Korea, would want to see a peaceful resolution to defuse tension. It is in my understanding that, no matter what kind of negation it would be, there should be one to discuss and guarantee that this war of mass destruction will not happen.

Iran Nuclear Issue and Refugees in Middle East and Europe

The Iran nuclear problem, in addition to missiles fired by the Americans, the Israelis, and Russians to the Syrian territory, has also put the world at stake. Dues to color revolution and regime change by military means in many countries in the Middle East has caused influx of refugees to Europe. It has become a huge burden when millions of Middle Eastern refugees arrived at their doors. You may see that as consequences of color revolution and regime change by military means.

Refugees from Iraq, Libya, and Syria are flowing into countries in Europe and some refused to host them too. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel just won with a slimmer majority for the next term. Her support dwindled because of her promise to receive up to one million refugees. I also talked with the Swedish Prime Minister on this issue in our meeting at Davos, Switzerland. At first, the Sweden opened its border but in the end he had to shut it down because they fear of ISIS infiltration.

Duterte’s Effort Stops ISIS in Region

The world economy seems to have risen but the world political situation has slipped into uncertainty. This has become one risk of causing trouble in the world order, which could culminate in disaster. I hope that these issues will not be rampant to our region. It is true that our region suffered ISIS attacks, especially in the Philippines. If there were no efforts of President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines to fight and take back Marawi city in Mindanao Island from them, ISIS would have secure their stronghold there.

Rohingya Refugees

I have a concern about what could have happened when the ASEAN leaders meets in November in Manila. It is the issue of Rohingya refugees or Bengali. There was already a disagreement between Indonesia and Malaysia, and Myanmar on this issue in AIPA meeting. Not recognized as one of ethnic minorities in Myanmar, they called the Rohingya the Bengali. In Bangladesh, they do not recognize them as the Bangladeshis. Some fled through to Sri Lanka. This has put them in a jeopardized situation of no place to go or to be. I hope this issue will not become a hot topic in the forthcoming ASEAN summit […]

Use Special Budget to Defuse Danger of Chemical Bombs in Svay Rieng

Let me come back to what is going on in our country. Yesterday I led a discussion to find out how to deal with this unexploded chemical bombs in Svay Rieng. How many thousands families of our people there will need to evacuate. Yesterday there was a question to me about with what budget do we use to remove this danger. I pointed to using the RGC’s special budget. We have a committee in charge of chemical weapons […] The US accused Saddam Hussein of chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction. They invaded Iraq and brought him down. They found nothing there.

Now, there are two left in Svay Rieng. We have to deal with this issue […] I have said that let us wait for the US to come take them. That will not happen. For our safety, the Chemical Weapons Committee will have to act on this matter. We will have to evacuate our people […] this is proof of what is left from war in the past and we in later generation will have to deal with it.

There Would Be Flash Flood from Rain, Cultivation Exceeds Plan

In days ahead, I am appealing to our people in provinces who may encounter this impacts from flash flood as the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology predicted heavy downpour in days to come. As for Phnom Penh and Kandal, we must take extra precaution. Kompong Speu would face up before anyone else flooding in Prek Thnaot River. As soon as the river of Prek Thnaot receives flood, the Ministry of Water Resource and Meteorology, and Phnom Penh Municipality will know what measures to take to avert flood in the western part of Phnom Penh, where many factories are […]

In agriculture, we can say that we have secured cultivation exceeding our plan. However, according to people’s habit, they will plant more rice as the water recedes. The Mekong level has lowered and we hope for a good level of water to organize boat race in the coming water festival in November. Last year we raced in a rather low level of water. This year we may have a good amount of water to race our boats in […]./.

ពត៌មានផ្សេងៗ

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