‘No sale on’ for Kingdom’s sovereignty gov’t tells IPU
THE government on Friday hit back at the Inter-Parliamentar y Union ( I PU), warning that Cambodia has the right to “withdraw itself ” from the body.
A former lawmaker said such a move would isolate the Kingdom internationally after the IPU called for all charges against Kem Sokha to be dropped and for his court-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) to be reinstated.
Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan on Sunday strengthened the government’s position on the matter. He said Cambodia, as a sovereign state, would not countenance any interference regarding the Kingdom’s laws.
A government spokesman sa id on Friday t hat Cambodia would “wit hdraw itself ” from t he IPU if t here was a not her “v iolat ion” or f ur t her “i nter ference” f rom t he i n t e r n a t i o n a l p a r l i a me n t a r y body.
“Cambodia maintains the full right at all times to withdraw itself from any international institution if there is a violation or interference in the sovereignty and interests of Cambodia, as other sovereign countries have withdrawn themselves from some international organisations [when they] think those organisations violate their sover- eignty and interests,” a government statement said.
In a four-page resolution dated October 18, the IPU, an international institution consisting of the parliaments of more than 170 countries, listed the names of senior officials from the CNRP and highlighted 12 points regarding the political situation in the Kingdom.
A Cambodian government delegation, led by deputy vice-president of the National Assembly Khuon Sodary, attended the 139th IPU General Assembly from October 14-18 in Geneva, Switzerland under the theme Parliamentary Leadership in Promoting Peace and Development in the Age of Innovation and Technological Change.
Former CNRP president Sam Rainsy was also invited to the event.
The IPU resolution on October 18 urged “once again all Cambodian authorities to immediately release Kem Sokha and drop the charges [against him] to allow him to resume his duties as president of the opposition without further delay and restriction, and to reinstate the CNRP”, a call strongly rejected by the Cambodian delegation.
The Cambodian government said its goals and direction regarding the IPU were to “promote and strengthen the culture of dialogue”, which
had been established, “but t his polit ica l dia log ue has no effect on the law of Cambodia”.
Siphan said on Sunday that Cambodia would “not change its stance”.
He said Cambodia is a “sovereign state” and t hat no countr y can v iolate t he laws of the Kingdom.
“The dissolution of the CNRP is not a matter of political crisis [but] a matter of law decided by the courts.
“We cannot [consider] any statement or pressure which orders Cambodia to v iolate or annul t he verdict of the Supreme Court because we believe Cambodia is in a state of strengt hening its r ule of law.
“I want to inform … there is no change in the position of the government. Cambodia will not walk away from t he implementation of its constitution.
There is no sa le on for t he sovereignt y and independence [of the Kingdom] on of fer to foreign countries to control Cambodia,” he said.
Former CNRP lawmaker Ou Chanrath said the government’s warning to t he IPU is “ridiculous” because if Cambodia were to withdraw itself from the body, the Kingdom would face isolation from t he internationa l community.
“I saw the government’s letter [warning] the IPU. It is ridiculous because the IPU is a huge international organisation consisting of more than 170 countries.
“Cambodia would be alone i f it continues to accuse
There is no sale on for the sovereignty of the Kingdom on offer to foreign countries to control Cambodia
ot hers of interfering i n its interna l af fa irs, using sovereignt y and independence as pretexts to prevent ot hers from ca lling for change. We should follow the agreements we have signed with them.
“It is not a good situation. Once we withdraw ourselves, it means we isolate ourselves from the world and we will lose a lot of benefits for Cambodia and Cambodians,” he claimed.
Thomas Fitzsimons, the director of communications at the IPU, could not be reached for comment on Sunday.