DAP-NEWS
PHNOM PENH, February, 9 - U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of States said on Tuesday that Washington wanted to see Phnom Penh and Bangkok to solve their border disputes through peaceful talks for the benefits of the two nations.
Speaking to reporters in a press briefing, Scot Marciel said "we are good friends with Cambodia and Thailand."
"And likes most other countries are concerned the tension between the two countries, we have said and hoped that both governments and leaders will do what they can to try to reduce tension and then to work trying to find a peaceful and rapid solution to these problems."
War of words between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Thais Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has escalated since last week over Hun Sen's first toured the Khmer 11th built Temple of Preah Vihear and Cambodian military forces who beefed up security near the Thais border.
Relations between the two Asian neighboring countries turned rocky in November after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen appointed ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who lives abroad to escape a jail term for corruption, as advisor to Phnom Penh government and as economic adviser. Both nations have recalled their ambassadors since.
Cambodia said the Thais claimed the land of 4.6 square km near the Temple is baseless given the UN court of International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1962 in which the court ruled out that: the Temple of Preah Vihear is situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia.
The court also found that Thailand is under obligation to withdraw any military or police forces, or other guards or keepers, stationed by her at the Temple, or in its vicinity on Cambodian territory.
Thailand is under an obligation to restore to Cambodia any objects of the kind specified in the Cambodia's fifth submission which may, since the date of the occupation of the Temple by Thailand in 1954, have been removed from the Temple or the Temple area by the Thai authority, according to the ICJ Judgment.
On China and the region
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of States also said that "Chinese rapid development has led to increased engagement the region" and certainly to increase its influence.
"That is natural reality. It's perfectly normal for these countries of the region who want to have good relations with the larger partner (China), the major trading partner," said Scot Marciel.
"We have certainly no problem with that," Marciel said in a news conference after meeting with Cambodian government leaders.
Many analysts said that the establishment of the China-ASEAN free trade area (FTA) on January 1, 2010, under which most goods traded between China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) attach zero or little tariff, will promote the development of trades and economic cooperation of the region and benefit greatly countries and the people. The world's largest free-trade area (FTA) came into force since January, 2010, an initiative that gives a shot in the arm for global trade troubled by rising protectionism.
Marciel said the U.S. has said regularly that Washington does "not see zero sum game".
"Our goal for Southeast Asia remains the same. We would like to see Southeast Asia to achieve a goal that has been set out for itself, actually in the ASEAN blue print, which is more integration, political stability, a progress towards increase democracies, human rights and certainly economic prosperities and we continue to support those," he said after his two-day visit Cambodia from Monday to Tuesday.
Marciel was also pleased with his meeting with Cambodian deputy prime minister Sok An, also minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers.
"He assured Dr. Sok An of the U.S. appreciation for the enhancement and the improving of the positive image of Cambodia, which will attract more tourists, more investments, and more cooperation from international partners," said a Cambodian official who attended the meeting.
Washington however will not write off Cambodian debts of millions of dollars, which Phnom Penh owed Washington from the late 1960s to the early 1970s during which Cambodia was dragged to the Vietnam War.
He did not say how much Cambodia has owed, but it is believed that it is US $317 million in debt.
"Countries around the world who contracted debts have an obligation to pay that debt. All countries do that... although they have changed in the government or the regime."
Cambodian government called the debts, which part of the sum was used to buy weapons used during the Cambodian conflicts in 1970s, should be converted for social development in Cambodia instead.
But Marciel said "the U.S. administration does not have legal authority to forgive debts."
Marciel visited Laos and Vietnam and due to leave for Thailand tonight before heading to Indonesia where he will do some works in preparation for the U.S. President Barack Obama's visit next month.
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