[Unofficial Translation]
Sportsmen with Honors
I have a great pleasure to have met once again our sportsmen. I would like to take this opportune moment, on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, to express my sincere greetings and congratulations to sportsmen who have won gold medals in international competitions or matches to bring our country fames and glories […]
Sports bring us progress and HE Hang Chuon Naron already reported to the ceremony already that the amount we spent on awards has surpassed the amount of money we have reserved […] while congratulating our sportsmen, please allow me to take this opportune moment to seek understanding and place yourselves higher than “men who compete only for money.” Any posting of intolerance (for slow disbursement of prize) on social media would on the contrary devalue you and/or your fans, along with your honors […]
This year our sportsmen have improved their ability to win medals in every competitions that make their number grow exceeding the number we have expected for the year […] maybe our sportsmen do not complain over this lateness in prize award and it was their fans or someone else who had done them on social media […]. I am asking you personally and/or your fans to understand this procedure and prepare your heart and mind, as well as physical means as real sportsmen who would not compete only for money. You gold medals winners have to have your prizes and we encourage you to work even harder […]
Towards Hosting SEA Game 2023
I just take this opportune moment to meet you to advice on this matter. I do not mean to rebuke anyone. We will work together towards hosting the SEA Games 2023, which is not far away. It will be not even fully six years. Our stadium, building with the Chinese assistance, would be ready in 2022. That would include some infrastructures. We have created conditions favorable for such regional competition […]
I wish to take this moment to express my sincere appreciations for efforts placed together so far. Some of our sportsmen won their medals in countries that are sources of the games or sports themselves. Take for instance Petanque, it is a game originated in France. Former Prime Minister of France Francois Fillon sent me boules as gifts. It is a symbol of creation of France. As he plays boules or Petanque and he knows I also played boules, he sent me a set of boules as gifts […]
Sports and Politics on Similar Playground
Every sports federation has been making steadfast efforts to achieve progress […] there was this sports Wushu sport that seems to have earned no recognition yet […] I wish they tried to measure it fully. Sports and politics are two similar playing in more or less similar ground. For instance, sportsmen will grow old in some years ahead but that does not mean that we must bring down the competition facility along with old-growing sportsmen. In this world, in some cases, sportsmen banned from competition as a team or as an individual. However, in doing so, they do not remove or destroy their practices facilities or eliminate the sports […]
Elections 2018 to Happen as Scheduled
The elections in Cambodia in 2018 will happen as scheduled. Though some have committed mistakes and banned, 15 millions other people will keep on to elections as scheduled. I wish to speak nothing about politics. However, I have the need to clarify a few things. Some have placed their hopes on possibility of freezing property of Cambodian leaders abroad. I invite them to do so to find out who have their money kept abroad. That would have no impacts on Hun Sen unless you send troop to invade my country. If you did, you would leave your corpses in Cambodia too.
At this phase in the world, no one country would resort to doing such thing. They would just use some in against another in respective country. They had left some of their remains unaccounted for yet in our country. They should not just threaten us. I am calling on them to impose those measures quickly. They may indicate right away and now who will not be welcome to enter your countries. We may ask, even when they do not impose that entry forbiddance rule, why would those people need to go to those countries […]
Cheer Oneself Up, Wait and See
Some even said that this matter would go all the way to the UN Security Council […] they should have learned more about the UN Security Council. They cannot just go about and knock on their doors […] more so the UNSC has no skills on discussing internal matter of any country at all. Among the five member nations – China, Russia, France, US, and UK, only one of them vetoes, the matter would stall. I should wish that Cambodians inside the country should not allow those bragging abroad to fool them […]
The UN General Assembly resolution has no forcing effect. Only the UNSC resolution would do so. Decisions taken by the US Congress has no power to force the Trump’s administration to implement them. Decisions taken by the European Parliament also could not force the European Commissioner and President of the European Council to implement them. It is in this understanding that whatever that person says is just to console his mind and heart from day to day, week to week, and month to month. They would just wait and see. The world cannot just do whatever one wishes to. Everything has reciprocation.
Searching for MIA to Continue as long as US Agrees to Cambodian Proposal
The search for remains of the remaining 49 US MIA will resume on condition that the US will give us back what they have taken away from us. We have not said that we ended the agreement. We propose for a discussion to amend it […]. I have proposed the US to pursue a humanitarian principle and amend their decision about sending 600 Cambodians back and four of them committed suicides. It was with our wish for human rights and humanitarian purpose that we have proposed our position to the US. How come the US groups us with countries that does not cooperate with them in receiving back own citizens. They tighten their visas on us. We also take responsive action to suspend searching for remain of MIA. We will give them back as long as they give back what they have taken too. We are conducting interviews with 70 more, some of whom are in critical illness. We are asking the US for cooperation on that matter.
I allow discussion for the return of those people who have gone and lived in the US after 1994. I would not want to see them deported to countries other than Cambodia […] I listened to what you had to say. Some hope that the Phnom Penh administration will stall. They may know that in older days, we worked only for rice and in encirclement. We survived. Why can we not survive now? How often do you go to their countries in a year when they issue you visas? I was in New York only for the UN events. I went to Washington only because UNTAC requested my presence in confirmation with the US congress.
Leave Everything on the Land of Cambodia
So far, since 2014, the European parliament has issued five decisions on Cambodian issues. We should ask if the governments of Europe have ever taken them into actions. They kept saying that those countries would freeze properties of leaders of the Cambodian People’s Party. Well, I wish they did that if anyone of them would do that. I pray they do it. I detest anyone who keeps money abroad. If they do, let those countries take them. Most of the CPP officials, including Hun Sen, have no money in foreign countries […] I just offered some money for Vitamin C (a comedian actor) to have this liver operation. (I keep my money in the country) to save lives. It is more humane and important to do. I have not any money abroad. When I die, I will get only one coin with me. I cannot bring anything with me. I will leave everything on the land of Cambodia.
Someone said that Hun Manet has 200 million Euro in the French Bank […]. Hun Manet said if they could find any, they should take them. I am sending a message today that I am encouraging Europe and the US to freeze properties of the Cambodian leaders. I encourage them to act and not to just threaten of doing that. I have only one nationality. Well, I am not a narrow-minded person on nationality issue. How many officials in the Royal Government and in the CPP would have their properties kept abroad? If they were so naïve, let them do so. My properties are in schools, pagodas, water reservoirs and canals, wells, etc.
Sports Competition on Equal Rights and Footing
The present world notices different independent political tendencies at differing levels. When one of their children came on us, robbed us, and we broke his legs, it is quite normal that the father would be angry […] who command color revolution. It is quite natural. Father reacted when his son, who intruded and bombed our houses, was caught and broken his legs. Naturally, as a father, he is angry. They would have so and so reactions because they are big and rich countries. However, do not forget that no matter how poor a country, it would know how to struggle for independence.
The victories you all have gained for the country, they raised our flags high and put on our national anthem. We must protect these medals. We have won them on equal right and footing. In the world, no matter how small or big a country would be they all have equal right and footing in sports competition and games […]. If my speech happens to displease anyone, please understand that I am saying what I said for dignity of sportsmen and I just ask some not to react prematurely to things on social media […]./.
