Phnom Penh: Following the Royal Government of Cambodia's official submission to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the border disputes in the Mom Bei area and the temple complexes of Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Tauch, and Ta Krabei, Senate President Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen has reiterated his full support for the move.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, in a special statement during the 3rd session of the Senate held this morning, Samdech Techo Hun Sen emphasized that bilateral negotiations over the four sensitive areas have failed, making the judicial process through the ICJ the most appropriate and peaceful path forward. He stated that Cambodia does not want to resort to conflict to resolve these issues and aims only to protect the nation.
The Senate President further remarked that the bilateral mechanism is unlikely to resolve the disputes, even if negotiations were to continue for another 100 or 200 years, predicting that conflict could resurface between the two nations in the future. He expressed his belief that those who avoid justice are guilty and compared them to thieves who fear the court.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen also called on the international community to support Cambodia's efforts to resolve the issue through legal and peaceful means. He expressed hope that countries around the world that uphold international law will support Cambodia's pursuit of a peaceful resolution through both bilateral and international legal mechanisms.
He reiterated Cambodia's commitment to accepting the ICJ's ruling, emphasizing this as a peaceful solution to the problem, and questioned the cost of potential conflict, particularly in terms of human lives, if war were to occur over territory.