Cambodia Denies U.S. Full Access to Naval Base During Embassy Visit

Khmer Circle:

 

It's reasonable and within Cambodia's national security interest for the Cambodian regime to cite the country's concern over issues of "sovereignty" in such a case. However, the regime must also be consistent and treat the matter in the same way regarding foreign 'interference' in Cambodia's affairs. Vietnam - in particular - has been treating the country as its de facto colony and a satellite - a doormat no less, settling its population on disputed Cambodian soil, leasing up to 99 years in so-called land concessions that amount to the size of an entire Cambodian province in total while lease-holders also include elements of Vietnam's military who can still be found camped all over the Eastern provinces' forests! Friendly? 'Neighbours? You bet! 

This current US-Cambodian relations recall what had occurred in the 1950's and 1960's when the then autocratic ruler - Sihanouk - decried Washington's interference in the country's internal affairs [he even wrote a memoir entitled "My war with the CIA"!] and eventually broke off all relations with the US while at the same time openly allowing the Vietcongs and North Vietnamese battalions to set up camps all over the Eastern half of his country; developments that ultimately led to his 'bloodless' overthrow in a US-backed coup in March 18th 1970, paving the way for the Hanoi-backed Khmer Rouge rebels to come to power in April 1975.

No doubt, Hun Sen will label anyone who leans towards the Americans in foreign policy stance as "traitor" just as Sihanouk himself used to do to elements within his own cabinet with Sam Sary - Sam Rainsy's father - being one prominent and tragic example of Sihanouk's callous flirting and aligning his small nation with the Red camp.

 

So much for Real politik!  

🔺🔺🔺

Defense official says full access would go against Cambodia’s sovereignty.

2021-06-11

Cambodian Ministry of Defense’s Information Department Facebook posts.

“Vietnam is a good, friendly and traditional neighbor of both China and Cambodia, and we want Sino-Cambodian relations to positively contribute to the peace, security, stability and prosperity of the whole region and the world,” 

Le Thi Thu Hang, Hanoi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson

The U.S. embassy in Cambodia said Friday that its defense attaché was denied complete access during an invited visit to the country’s largest naval base, but a Cambodian official told RFA that Phnom Penh had never agreed to a full tour.

The tour Friday came 10 days after U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, during a visit to Cambodia, voiced concern about Chinese military presence and construction of facilities at Ream Naval Base on the site of a U.S.-built structure Phnom Penh razed last year.

According to the embassy’s statement, when Sherman met with Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen on June 1, he agreed to allow U.S. Embassy Defense Attaché, Colonel Marcus M. Ferrara to visit the base regularly.

“During the brief visit, Cambodian military officials refused to allow the Defense Attaché full access to the Naval Base,” the embassy said.

“When it became clear he would not be granted adequate access, Colonel Ferrara ended the tour and requested Cambodian military officials reschedule the visit with full access at the earliest opportunity,” it said, adding that regular visits to the base were an important for transparency and mutual trust.

A Cambodian Defense Ministry official told RFA’s Khmer Service in an interview that the ministry was “disappointed” with the embassy’s “inaccurate” statement.

“We allowed the U.S. official to visit a few important places that the U.S. said were suspicious, and they accused Cambodia of wrongdoing there in the past,” said Lt. Gen. Suon Samnang, deputy director of the ministry’s foreign affairs department.

“On the contrary, it is the U.S. that has committed a breach of trust, asking for more than what we agreed upon,” he said. The U.S. first said it wanted to see the locations where Washington had funded buildings on the base, and requested to see other places which Cambodia rejected.

“The other places they wanted to visit… were contrary to what we had originally agreed upon, so Cambodia could not accept the request. It infringes on our sovereignty and our right to protect our military secrecy,” said Suon Samang.

When asked which areas Cambodia denied Ferrara access to, Suon Samang declined to elaborate.

RFA was unable to reach Minister of Defense Tea Banh for comment.

Tea Banh last week told local media that China would be involved in the modernization and expansion of Ream Naval Base, but that other countries would be granted access to inspect it.

In September, Cambodia demolished the Tactical Headquarters of the National Committee for Maritime Security at Ream Naval Base, which was renovated and built by the U.S., equipped by Australia, and inaugurated in 2012. The U.S. raised questions about China’s role in renovating the base.

Political analyst Em Sovanara told RFA that disagreement between the U.S. and Cambodia over Ream Naval base will affect the two countries’ relationship. He said that the U.S. should request exact locations to inspect ahead of their next visit.

The disagreement over Friday’s visit comes at a time when Washington is trying to limit China’s growing influence in Southeast Asia, especially in the South China Sea.

Vietnam Thursday said it was aware that China was helping Cambodia upgrade Ream.

“Vietnam is a good, friendly and traditional neighbor of both China and Cambodia, and we want Sino-Cambodian relations to positively contribute to the peace, security, stability and prosperity of the whole region and the world,” Le Thi Thu Hang, Hanoi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, told state media.

Reported by RFA’s Khmer and Vietnamese Services. Translated by Samean Yun and Anny Vu. Written in English by Eugene Whong.