Hun Sen: we won’t be bought […’cause we are already paid in full by China!!!]

Prime Minister Hun Sen delivers a speech to the ASEAN delegates during a press conference yesterday afternoon. (Photo by Meng Kimlong)

Thursday, 05 April 2012
Shane Worrell with additional reporting by Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

After a week of global media reports dissecting Cambodia’s relationship with China, Prime Minister Hun Sen had apparently had enough yesterday – lashing out at the media and analysts he termed “crazy” in what proved an unexpected conclusion to the 20th ASEAN Summit.

The premier spent a good part of the concluding press conference defending his government from claims that China was buying its support.

“Cambodia is not [being] bought by anyone (sic!),” he said, referring to the millions of dollars in loans and aid Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged on Saturday.

Hun Sen went on to praise China at length for “saving” the ASEAN economy in 1997 and showing generosity to Europe during the 2008 economic crisis, but insisted he had never felt pressure from Chinese leaders to “do this or do that”.

That, of course, was precisely the suggestion of some analysts, who posited that last weekend’s visit by Hu had been made with the intention of enlisting Cambodia’s aid in squelching debate on the controversial South China Sea issue.

Hun Sen said that, contrary to published reports, the South China Sea ASEAN comes up with, would have benefited from having some kind of communication with China as well.”

While ASEAN leaders continued yesterday to praise the by-elections in Myanmar – culminating in an official call for sanctions to be lifted – tension built over North Korea’s proposed satellite launch and how it might affect stability on the Korean peninsula.

Hun Sen yesterday called for six-party talks to resume and urged all parties concerned to exercise restraint.

“We reaffirmed our support to the efforts of achieving a denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner, and we further reiterated the call for all parties concerned to explore all possibilities to engage in peaceful dialogue,” he wrote in his chairman’s statement.

“We call the parties concerned to fully respect the UN Security Council Resolutions.”

In 2009, North Korea walked out of six-party negotiations intended to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for economic aid. The US, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas are participants in the talks.

Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong, who chaired Monday’s Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, is scheduled to visit North Korea in June.

ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said yesterday stability on the Korean peninsula was a huge concern to ASEAN leaders.

“I [also] have a standing invitation to go; we hope we can make a contribution,” he said.

Chheang Vanarith, executive director at the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, said Cambodia would play a key role as mediator by inviting North Korea to join the six-party talks, but ASEAN must collectively take a firm stance with the pariah state.

“I think ASEAN must put pressure on North Korea to not test the long-range missile,” he said.

In concluding yesterday’s ASEAN Summit, Hun Sen announced leaders had agreed to a drug-free ASEAN 2015 declaration and made commitments to various forms of cross-border co-operation.

Chheang Vanarith said the summit appeared to have been positive for ASEAN.

“They have been discussing security issues such as the South China Sea; economic issues, by urging to close the [distribution] gap; and social issues, as civil society and youth participated in the meeting.

These are successful steps, but we will continue to monitor the implementation of [policies],” he said.