(Phnom Penh): Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian Senate, stated that the border conflict issue will never be resolved—even in decades or centuries—unless it is brought before an international mechanism. He emphasized that even though Cambodia has opted to file the case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), it is not abandoning diplomatic negotiations. Cambodia will fully respect any decision rendered by the ICJ.

Samdech Techo’s remarks were made during a joint congress of the National Assembly and Senate held on Monday (Jun. 2) at the Senate.

He added that inviting Thailand to the ICJ is an appropriate and respectful approach. Samdech remarked that he is waiting to see what excuses the Thai side may use for not going to the ICJ, and if they refuse, it implies that Thailand may have ulterior motives behind this issue.

He stated, “Our invitation reflects proper conduct. This is not only Cambodia’s issue—many countries have brought similar matters before international courts, like Singapore and Malaysia, for example.”

When asked what Cambodia would do if Thailand refused the ICJ invitation, Samdech Hun Sen responded that Cambodia would still proceed with filing the case independently. He assured both Cambodian and Thai citizens that without international judicial intervention, such disputes could persist for centuries without resolution, as neither government would be politically able to retreat from its current position without facing domestic criticism.

On the occasion, Samdech Techo Hun Sen also emphasized that negotiations between the two countries have been ongoing for over 25 years. Of that period, he personally spent more than 23 years—since the MOU of 2000 until 2023—negotiating while serving as Prime Minister. Even under the new government, negotiations have continued for another two years without resolution. Attempts to convene the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) have also failed.
=FRESH NEWS