‘US embassy should pack up and leave if unhappy’
GOV ERNMENT spokesman Phay Siphan on Thursday dared US embassy of ficia ls in Phnom Penh to “pack up” a nd leave t he count r y if t hey were not happy wit h t he Kingdom. Spea k ing during a press conference under t he t heme One Year Achievements after the Elections at t he Council of Ministers on Thursday, Sipha n sa id rega rd less of diplomat ic relat ions, Cambodia would not tolerate a ny inter ference i n it s i nter na l a f fa i rs.
“We remain friends, but if t he [US] officia ls are not happy with Cambodia, then pack up and leave. We do not welcome them. The embassy officia ls who have been cruel [to Cambodia] should stop t his. This is our request,” he said.
“We resolve [issues] in a diplomat ic manner. We don’t dea l wit h problems t he way lawless people do. Those people [US embassy of ficia ls] keep r unning of f t heir mouths a nd i ncit i ng ot hers. They li ke to use force in a cr uel way.
“For us, we only resor t to diplomacy. We handle issues based on t he Constit ut ion, nat iona l a nd Asea n pr inciples . . . US embassy of ficia ls a re lawless a nd provocat ive,” he st ressed.
Sipha n’s ster n remarks ca me t wo days a f ter t he US embassy cr it icised last yea r’s nat iona l elect ions as “deeply flawed”.
On its Facebook page, t he embassy sa id t he elect ions were neit her f ree not fa ir a nd did not represent t he wil l of Cambodians.
In its statement, t he embassy a lso ca l led for t he dropping of a l l cha rges aga inst t he former president of t he Supreme Court-dissolved Cambodia Nationa l Rescue Par t y (CNRP) Kem Sok ha, who has been placed on court
super v ised bai l on cha rges of t reason.
Siphan noted that the absence of a US ambassador to Cambodia had caused difficulties in communications between the two countries.
He said the embassy’s latest criticism constituted a n incitement a nd a v iolat ion of Cambodian sovereig nt y.
He warned t hat Cambodia would not be
reluctant to “destroy” any groups found to undermine peace, stability and [public] order in the Kingdom.
“[Cambodia’s] friends should not be trying to sabotage the rights, freedom and democracy here. We request [those friends] to consider Cambodia their younger sister who has just reached adulthood. Don’t bother us, we don’t allow anyone to violate us.”
Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin on Thursday said the US’ appeal for the dropping of the treason charge against Sokha, which it deemed politically motivated, would not hold sway.
“The court is an independent body. No group or institution or diplomat can order the court of this sovereign state to release or drop any charges. It’s impossible,” he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation also took issue with the US on Wednesday.
In a statement, the ministry said it was deeply disappointed that the US had politicised the national elections, which it said was legitimate and represented the will of the people.
“It is with great surprise and disappointment to note another undiplomatic and disrespectful behaviour of the United States Embassy in Phnom Penh toward Cambodia as the host country.
“Through its official Facebook post on July 30, the embassy spread misrepresented comments, openly attacking the integrity of Cambodia’s general elections in 2018.
“Such a flagrantly offensive move in violation of the provisions of the UN Charter and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 is least expected from the mission representing a civilised country.”
As of press time, the US Embassy in Cambodia did not respond to The Post’s requests for comment.