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.