(Dili): Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen firmly asserted that he would not engage in dialogue with extremist groups intent on toppling the Cambodian legitimate Royal Government.

Samdech Techo spoke on Friday (May 9) during a keynote address on "Lessons from Samdech Techo Hun Sen: Cambodia’s Journey from Genocide and Poverty to Freedom and Development” in Dili, Timor-Leste.

Samdech Techo said that Cambodia’s achievement of nearly 27 years of complete peace. As the head of the Cambodian People's Party, Samdech Techo reaffirmed his commitment to fostering cooperation with other political parties to promote harmony, strengthen national unity, and advance democracy. He emphasised that Cambodia upholds democracy as a system of governance that respects diversity and provides a peaceful, effective means—through ballots rather than bullets or violence—for resolving political disagreements.

“In a country where the Constitution enshrines a multi-party liberal democracy, it is natural to have many political parties, both inside and outside Parliament. Dialogue is essential. However, I must make it clear that dialogue with terrorists is unacceptable. Extremism must never be encouraged, as it poses a grave threat to the nation. Those with genuine intentions for national development should be encouraged to engage in dialogue—but not those who seek regime change through undemocratic means. Such matters must be handled in accordance with the law,” Samdech Techo underscored.

According to Samdech Techo, true development cannot flourish under the shadow of gunfire. Yet peace alone is insufficient—it must be accompanied by development. The two are inseparably linked: peace enables development, while development helps to sustain peace.
=FRESH NEWS