U.S. demands Hun Sen accept ASEAN mediation
U.S. demands Hun Sen accept ASEAN mediation
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia (JP): The United States expressed its
clear antipathy to the regime in Cambodia yesterday, saying the
situation is "unacceptable" and demanded its leader, Hun Sen, to
accept mediation from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN).
Addressing her counterparts at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF),
which included Cambodian Foreign Minister Ung Huot, U.S.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said the recent political
takeover by Hun Sen "will remain unacceptable until the Cambodian
government fully reflects the freely expressed will of the
Cambodian people".
"The United States has made it clear to Hun Sen that his
cooperation with ASEAN mediation...is essential if Cambodia is to
fully rejoin the international community," she said.
Second Prime Minister Hun Sen ousted First Prime Minister
Norodom Ranariddh earlier this month. The political takeover
ended a delicate coalition balance and months of bickering
between the two premiers.
The turmoil prompted the delay of Cambodia's membership into
ASEAN. The grouping then sent a three-minister team headed by
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas to speak to the embattled
premiers.
Albright lauded ASEAN's efforts yesterday but insisted that
efforts should now involve "concrete steps to ensure that free
and fair elections are held in Cambodia" next May.
"We should be prepared to monitor the elections to ensure
they are free from intimidation," she said.
The 21 ARF members ended their annual conference yesterday by
issuing a chairman's statement expressing concern over the latest
development in Cambodia and voicing support of ASEAN's initiative
to engage in a peaceful solution to the crisis in Phnom Penh.
The statement came just hours after Ranariddh reportedly
expelled Ung Huot from his royalist party. Ung Huot had been
tipped to replace Ranariddh as first premier.
ARF chairman and host, Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi, said ASEAN will still deal with Ung Huot.
"At the moment, for as long as Ung Huot is still minister of
foreign affairs of Cambodia, that is the man we have to deal
with," he said.
The Philippines Foreign Minister Domingo L. Siazon separately
said ASEAN would still have to verify the report on Ung Huot's
expulsion.
Abdullah also said the meeting took note of assurances by Ung
Huot that Cambodia had welcomed ASEAN's role in helping restore
political stability in Cambodia.
Abdullah said the ministers' discussion was marked by some
disagreement over Cambodia, nevertheless the meeting was able to
iron out differences and reached a consensus.
Asked about further steps to be taken, Alatas, who led an
ASEAN mission to Cambodia, said there were no new developments
and that ASEAN was still waiting for a further reply from Phnom
Penh.
The ASEAN mission also included Thai foreign minister Prachuab
Chaiyasarn and Siazon.
Hun Sen had previously rebuffed ASEAN's offer, but later made
an about-face and said he welcomed the association's role in
restoring political stability in Cambodia. Even more recently,
however, some media reports said he again rejected ASEAN's offer.
The confusion that ensued was the reason why ASEAN chose to
wait for further confirmation from Hun Sen after Ung Huot returns
to Phnom Penh today.
Similar expression of concern was voiced yesterday by Chinese
Foreign Minister Qian Qichen, who said that positive developments
in the region were still marred by destabilizing factors.
"The eruption of an armed conflict in Cambodia is a matter of
concern...(which) if not handled properly will adversely affect
peace and stability in the region."
The European Union's representative Jacques Poos said the EU
was very concerned about developments in Cambodia as they could
affect regional stability.
He called on the association "to use all of its influence to
find a peaceful solution to the recent violence and to persuade
Cambodian authorities to restore a situation consistent with the
Paris peace agreement". (swe/mds)
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