Cambodia-Turkey Relation Is 24 Years Old – 1994-2018
I have a great pleasure to be able to meet with you all who are pursuing your studies in the Republic of Turkey. As I have said on various occasions, I would leave out other programs to keep my meeting with Cambodian laborers working and students studying in foreign countries. Wherever my trip takes me, I will take my time to meet our students and people studying and/or living in those countries. Today, it is considered an historic occasion for us to meet in Turkey. Firstly, I must say that it is the first time that we exchange this high-level delegation in the course of the past 24-years established relations in 1994. Next year, we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relation between the two countries. At this moment, Prime Minister Hun Sen is conducting an official visit to Turkey after the preparatory visit concluded by HE Prak So Khonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
To Open Embassy in Ankara, Turkey
Next year, in the course of celebrating the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relation between Cambodia and Turkey, we will also celebrate the opening of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Ankara. We are reviewing our search for building to be used as the embassy. In some cases, there is this option to lease some buildings for that purpose. However, with capable financial resource, it is better to buy one. This should also be a sign that (Cambodia is) committed to a deep-rooted relation […] to purchase land and/or building for embassy, it is going to be property of Cambodia in foreign countries. It is a kind of saving too. I have told Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn and Deputy Prime Minister Aun Pornmoniroth to discuss on this matter and consider purchasing a building to prepare for opening of the embassy of the Kingdom of Cambodia next year […]
Cambodians Studying in Turkey to Work in the Cambodian Embassy
Through the past 24 years (diplomatic) relation, we have scored number of students studying in Turkey. Since Turkey is in a good position to offer chance for education, I brought this issue up with former Prime Minister of Turkey and presently the Speaker […] about the future relation between the two countries. I told him that we may find some Cambodia students studying in Turkey to work in the Cambodian embassy. The process is however going through taking exams in order to become a public function official in the field of diplomacy. It would be a plus if some of you who may have interests in this opportunity to direct your study to international relations to have a better chance […] since working as a diplomat would be working with various foreign embassies, it is an obligation to master not only Turkish but one other language, such as English. You could learn more […]
Leveling Up Relations in Every Field and Political Trusts
The main goal of my visit to Turkey is to level up relations in every field, especially, political trust between the two countries. We have a good relation with Turkey. The two countries have come through more or less similar situation. You may have known already about what happened in Turkey in 2016. There was a failed coup. I had to tell HE Osman Hassan to keep abreast with the situation and to follow up challenging problems for our students in the time of coup. I was then in Mongolia for the Asia-Europe Meeting. As we all know the Turkish government’s effort to clear up those involved in the failed coup is not yet over.
In Cambodia, such unfortunate situation also happened through those who wished to launch a color revolution. The Royal Government had the necessity to prevent them from bringing down the Royal Government by undemocratic means. The difference between the two events was that in Turkey they had military element who launched the coup, while in Cambodia, they were doing it through color revolution […] you may agree with me that Turkey has its border sharing with Syria and Iraq, and the two countries are facing with problems. You may understand about this even better than I do. Many European countries are facing with refugees’ crisis. That is the consequence of color revolution for which those countries provided supports to movements out of democratic context […]
Cambodia and Turkey Taking Measures for People’s Peaceful Life
Influx of refugees from war-torn countries in the Middle East brought about electoral losses to political parties who favor such policy. Their people are not happy with the move to bring in more (refugees). At present, their working conditions are not good. It is hard for them to find jobs. It has been worse to have more refugees in. I would not have to mention what countries they are […] some countries that reject refugees are also facing sanctions from their allies […] that is the consequence of poking one’s nose into other countries’ affairs by supporting so and so movements, and/or accepting refugees (as a result of such policy conducted by other countries).
In Cambodia, we have also taken measures as those carried out by the President (of the Republic of Turkey). I was not and will not be afraid to take necessary measures for the sake of peace life of the Cambodian people. You may agree with me that the measures taken by the President (of Turkey) was not only to keep his power but also to defend 80 million Turkish people. Should the coup succeed, turmoil would be beyond imagination and it would not be easy to resolve the problem. Based on this development, Turkey and Cambodia quite understand each other’s political situation […]
Turkey’s Geopolitical and Economic Advantage
Turkey was willing to open its embassy in Phnom Penh since 2003. We now have to respond to her gesture by committing to open ours. We must not forget that Turkey used to be an empire. Our two countries in the past were empires. Cambodia was the Empire of Angkor. Turkey was the Ottoman Empire – an amazing country in the region. We are here in Istanbul. We are at the edge of European continent. Not far from here, it is (the start of) Asia. We have been talking about it. We talk about a project to connect Asia and Europe together and Istanbul is the gate between the two continents. In another instance, we must not overlook Turkey that is one of the 20 developed economies in the world. It stands at number 17. Though Turkey is a member of NATO, it has not been a member of EU, Turkey is not going to be dead. It is still making progress among G20 countries […]
We are going to sign eight agreements with Turkey to strengthen relations in politics and investments to attract more of its investments to the Kingdom of Cambodia. I told the Turkish Speaker yesterday and Turkish investors that after putting such agreement in place, we would be able to advance to avoid double taxations to provide chances for investors from Turkey to the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Cambodian investors have not had ability to come here yet. We also have agreements on agriculture, tourism, culture, etc. […] that you are here, a place where you can make the best of knowledge and knowhow, I wish that you study hard […] Turkey has become a dialogue partner of ASEAN in 2017. It is a part of our efforts to build bilateral relation with Turkey, but also multilaterally through ASEAN. At a later stage, when a free trade agreement with ASEAN is reached, it will be even better to promote economic, trade, investment, etc. relations between us Cambodia and Turkey, and among us ASEAN.
Taking Parts in Elections Supports Democracy
As for internal Cambodian situation, I am sure you are quite aware of it. Who had gone to Cambodia to cast your votes? Thank you. How many of you had told your parents to go to vote? […] Quite a large number. I do not ask you for whom you had voted for. I just wanted you to tell me about the process. Taking parts in the elections is supporting democracy […] about 83% of registered voters fulfilled their rights. The rest 17% who did not go to vote were actually not voters of the opposition. Some of them might be the Cambodian People’s Party supporters. They did not go to vote perhaps because they were ill […] those of you who voted are supporters of democratic process […]
For the elections this time around, our people truly voted to keep peace and development. In Cambodia, the one with means to safeguard peace for our people is the Cambodian People’s Party. In Turkey, we may see that if anyone else than the present President, s/he could not have contained the military coup, and many other border problems with Syria, Iraq, etc. […] in Cambodia too, situation was very fragile […] I am not surprised to see demonstrations here and there. You may think a little bit about his call for the US to fire missiles to my house in Takhmao in 1998 […] while Cambodia was at peace and in the elections. He did that because he lost the elections […]
As Long As He Is Ambitious for Power, I Will Keep Going
Recently, they went between Japan and France to block aid from delivering to Cambodia. They repeat this actions again and again […] judging by his actions, how could one think he is fit to be a leader? Judging by all he has been doing, I am determined to stay on. As long as he is ambitious for power, I will keep going. Countries that are not understanding Cambodia’s situation may wish to look into archives of what this man has been doing to the country […] he now issues call again for “Hun Sen to step down.” In 2013, in their endless demonstrations, they also called me to step down. Why should I go while I won the elections? They said I tried to hold on to power. What does he want that he has been doing all that? He may go on dreaming and being a Facebook Prime Minister […]
The Cambodian People’s Party to Go on Winning
Your grandparents and parents have been doing a great deal for this country since when you were not born yet. I was one of the key leaders since 20 June 1977 but how could I, being one man, liberate the country? After the liberation, we had to prevent the return of the Pol Pot group to power. Your grandparents and parents have made so much sacrifices for that course […] they have made this journey all along with me. Now, you and your generation have now joined the journey with me too. In all we have three generations so far […] that some of you have now children, who will study in schools built by Hun Sen, we can anticipate positive response from the fourth generations too.
After the liberation of Phnom Penh on 7 January 1979, one day after – 8 January 1979, we established a government, for which I was chosen to be Minister of Foreign Affairs. I knew nothing about it. I was a soldier. I told senior colleagues that I would give it a try for three months. I looked for and recruited diplomats survived the Khmer Rouge regime. However, the man who committed only for three months has become the one who has been working in the Royal Government uninterruptedly from 8 January 1979 through to today – 21 October 2018. I will go on for another five years and at 2023 there will be another general elections. I believe that the Cambodian People’s Party will continue to win and that will allow me to go on till 2028 […]
We have protected Cambodia from destruction and ensured that it will become a higher-middle income country in 2030. If I could stay till 2028, it would be very close to 2030. When Cambodia reaches that phase, a higher-middle income country, it would not be late for me to step out. I have said it that I am looking for another ten years […] what matters here is my health allows me to and people vote for me […]
To Host ASEM-2020 with High Responsibility in Form and Content
I wish to share with you the news that by 2020, Cambodia will be hosting the ASEM Summit in Phnom Penh. It was decided two days ago in Brussels. It will be the first time in our history to do this job and to host delegations from more than 50 countries […] we will make efforts to do this job with high responsibility both in form and in content. We wish to ensure value for the Phnom Penh meeting one that will contribute to resolving regional and world issues, especially ones between Asia and Europe. Coincidentally, after joining the ASEM Summit, and Cambodia was made a host country for the next summit, I came for this official visit to Turkey – a country that stands at the gateway between the two regions […]
He Must Remember Not to Ask (for Talk/Negotiation)
He could go this far to call me a scoundrel. If I were one, he must have been a delinquent of some kind himself. Why? […] he has been very jealous. I just wanted to remind him for you all to remember that it was he who helped me realize amendment of the Constitution in 2006. He could not have forgot it. He talked of me at one time a foreign puppet and another time a scoundrel. While in fact, by saying so and judging by what he had done, he was hired by “a scoundrel” – I had him helped me amending the Constitution in 2006 […] that he has always been jealous of me has not been a new thing. Samdech Krom Preah (Norodom Ranaridh) were to dismiss him. To dismiss anyone from the government, there needed to have a consensus in the Royal Government of two Prime Ministers. The person urgently sought to see me at home. He never did that before. I knew it was an internal matter of FUNCINPEC, I did not accept his request. He was angry from then on […] he then declared that he would not negotiate with the Cambodian People’s Party and/or Hun Sen. It is in this regard that I asked him publicly to jot down what he said and remember not to ask (for talk/negotiation) […]
A Man of No Virtue
(In one final episode) he told a French newspaper that “Hun Sen knows he is going to lose. That is why he wanted his children to know mine.” I was fell beyond imagination […] he texted me telling me one of his children was here (in Phnom Penh) what were he to do with that? I came up with initiative for the two families to dine together. Then another son came from the US. His daughter could not come for pregnancy. Kith Meng was the one to organize dinner at the Cambodiana Hotel. He talked to Hun Mana about his project to set up a television and asked if Mana has anything in store that could be given out to him for that purpose. Just in recent days, he attacks Mana. He would leave none of my children untouched. I am asking him to remember that. The “Hun” family is not for him to chastise […] this family never ran away from the people and has made so much contributions to the country. Around me, from within my family, there are many intellectuals […]
They have good children. I am talking good of them. He chastise me and my children too. I did not do likewise. I praise their children for good educations they have. You may want to put the two men in two different columns to seek out virtue from the two. He talked good about my children in front of me but in other places he chastise them. Hurting children is hurting father […] all in all, people may think about this and judge if the man is fit with virtue as a leader? For going to see me in the United States of America and/or Europe, people have been blackmailed. While not yet in power, so much has been done, what could he not do when he has power? You may want to sleep on it./.
