Alatas arrives in Cambodia

Alatas arrives in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH (AFP): Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas arrived in Phnom Penh for a brief visit Saturday, after describing Cambodia's admission to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a "watershed event", officials said.

Cambodia joined the regional grouping Friday at a ceremony in Hanoi, shaking off decades of international isolation and fulfilling the bloc's dream of embracing all 10 Southeast Asian neighbors.

"Yesterday was a historic day for Cambodia and ASEAN," Alatas, who attended the ceremony, told reporters on his arrival here.

"I am very pleased to be back in Cambodia and grateful for the honor ... It is quite different (to 1997)," he said referring to domestic political unrest here.

Cambodia was supposed to have joined ASEAN in 1997, but its membership was put on hold when a bitter political rivalry between then co-premiers Hun Sen and Prince Norodom Ranariddh burst into the open.

Prince Ranariddh was ousted from Phnom Penh in fierce fighting and fled to neighboring Thailand. Hun Sen became sole prime minister following polls in July last year.

Alatas was met at the airport by his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong, who returned here from Hanoi just ahead of the Indonesian minister.