(Siem Reap): Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet affirmed that restoring the border situation to normal is very straightforward. First, reopen the border checkpoints; then discuss military withdrawal. He emphasised that the key to resolving the border dispute lies entirely in Thailand’s hands. Should Thailand unilaterally reopen the borders, Cambodia will reciprocate.

The premier spoke on Monday (Jun. 23) at the closing of the Central Committee Meeting of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC) in Siem Reap province.

“I want to send this message to the people of Cambodia and Thailand who wish to see the border return to normal. Let the Thai military take the first step by reopening the checkpoints unilaterally, and Cambodia will reopen after. The issue can be resolved as easily as peeling a banana. So, it’s now up to the Thai military,” the premier underscored.

Samdech Thipadei continued by noting that although the Thai prime minister and government have often requested the reopening of the border with Cambodia, actions from the Thai military tend to contradict those intentions, frequently opening and closing gates at will. This inconsistency makes it hard for us to trust in the sincerity of their negotiations. There must first be internal consensus. Whoever holds the actual power in Thailand should take the lead. Once that’s done, Cambodia will reopen accordingly.

Prime Minister Hun Manet added that in order to resume dialogue, the first step must be creating appropriate conditions and mutual trust. Without trust, he said, there can be no meaningful discussion, especially on sensitive issues like military withdrawal.

However, Samdech Thipadei made clear that there will be no bilateral negotiations on the matter. The side that closed the border first must take the lead in reopening it. Cambodia is ready to follow, not out of pressure, but out of commitment to the well-being of the people. There is no justification for civilians to suffer due to a closed border. The same principle applies to military tensions: if withdrawal is the objective, then take the first step. Cambodia has no intention of launching aggression, but will not tolerate provocation either.
=FRESH NEWS