Cambodia, 1996

Allow me, at the outset, to warmly congratulate

His Excellency Mr. Razali Ismail, on behalf of the

Cambodian delegation, on his election to the post of

President of this Assembly. His election is a tribute to his

professionalism, as well as to his country, Malaysia, with

which Cambodia has traditionally entertained close and

cordial relations. My delegation is convinced that with his

competence and experience, Ambassador Ismail will guide

our session with wisdom and perspicacity to a successful

conclusion.

My delegation would also like to congratulate and

thank His Excellency Mr. Diogo Freitas do Amaral of

Portugal for his successful presidency of the General

Assembly’s fiftieth session.

I wish also to take this opportunity to express our deep

appreciation to an individual to whom the Royal Kingdom

of Cambodia owes profound gratitude for the role he has

played in the peace process in our country — the Secretary-

General of the United Nations, Mr. Boutros Boutros-

Ghali — for his performance and sincere dedication in

accomplishing this lofty mission.

(spoke in English)

The forthcoming 23 October will be the fifth

anniversary of the signing of the Agreement on a

Comprehensive Political Settlement of the Cambodia

Conflict. The Royal Government and people of Cambodia

will mark this historic event with a nationwide celebration.

The Agreement was forged

“to maintain, preserve and defend the sovereignty,

independence, territorial integrity and inviolability,

neutrality and national unity of Cambodia” (Agreement

on a Comprehensive Political Settlement of the

Cambodia Conflict, DPI/1180-92077, p. 8, para. 3)

through the restoration of peace and the promotion of

national reconciliation in the country. The Cambodian

people will always remember the sacrifices made by the

international community on their behalf, especially those

eminent persons who dedicated themselves to the cause of

peace and democracy in our country. We are indeed

indebted to them all and remain deeply grateful for their

continued contribution to the reconstruction and

development of Cambodia, allowing it once more to take

its proper place in the concert of nations.

The Royal Government of Cambodia, presided over

by His Royal Highness Samdech Krom Preah Norodom

Ranariddh and His Excellency Samdech Hun Sen, was

born of a free and fair election organized and supervised

by the United Nations in May 1993. It is now barely three

years old, but thanks to the determination of the

Cambodian people and the invaluable assistance and

support given by this world body and its agencies, other

international organizations and friendly countries, the

rebuilding of Cambodia has proceeded apace.

In “An Agenda for Peace”, His Excellency the

Secretary-General Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali spoke of the

need for the United Nations to give careful consideration

to the requirements of post-conflict peace-building. As

can be seen from the Cambodian experience, this is a

complex and multifaceted process. The Secretary-

General’s Representative in Cambodia The Honourable

Benny Widyono commented in a recent article that

“post-conflict peace-building is not just a collection

of disjointed activities. It requires a holistic concept

encompassing political, institutional, legal, economic

and social objectives.”

This holistic approach has also been very rapidly

recognized by the Royal Government. Nine months after

the general elections, it launched the National Programme

for the Rehabilitation and the Development of Cambodia,

in February 1994. At the same time, it was able to ensure

political stability, improve security and engineer a rapid

economic recovery, as reflected by a strong gross

domestic product growth of 7.6 per cent, an inflation rate

kept at 3.5 per cent and a stable exchange rate of the

national currency throughout 1995. These figures,

combined with a liberal investment law and a low gross

domestic product of $287 per capita, are providing strong

incentives for foreign direct investment, in particular now

13

that Cambodia enjoys most-favoured-nation status with the

United States, the European Union and other important

countries in the world. Soon Cambodia hopes to obtain

Generalized System of Preferences status.

In pursuing its aims of structural reforms and

development while seeking to improve the quality of life of

its citizens, the Royal Government is conscious of the need

for environmental protection. Cambodia has become a

signatory of the United Nations Convention on Biological

Diversity and the Convention to Combat Desertification in

Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or

Desertification. The Government is ever mindful of its

responsibility to protect Cambodia’s rich natural heritage,

in the interests both of its people and of the world at large.

Therefore, as stated by the First Prime Minister at the First

Consultative Group Meeting, held last July in Tokyo, the

Royal Government is committed to implementing a

sustainable and transparent forest policy in line with the

recommendations put forward in a joint study made by the

World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme

(UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the

United Nations (FAO).

Being profoundly conscious that development requires

security, problems linked with the Khmer Rouge have to be

addressed through their reintegration into the national fold,

and through the long-term policy of development of rural

areas. Military operations near the northwestern border are

designed to gradually reduce the nuisance they pose and to

convince them to join the national community. National

unity remains the target of the Cambodian Government.

The recent massive breakaway of the core groups of the

Khmer Rouge testifies to the correctness of the Royal

Government’s approach.

Recognizing that Cambodia’s tragic recent history

requires special measures to assure the protection of human

rights and the non-return to the policies and practices of the

past, the Royal Government has pursued an active policy to

ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms

for all in Cambodia without discrimination as to race, sex

or religion. In these efforts, it has received the technical

assistance of the United Nations Centre for Human Rights,

for which the Royal Government is greatly appreciative. In

particular, Cambodia acknowledges the valued contribution

of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for

Human Rights, Ambassador Thomas Hammarberg.

Mindful that human rights encompass political rights,

the Kingdom of Cambodia adopted a policy of liberal

democracy and pluralism, as stated in article 51 of the

Constitution of the Kingdom, in 1993. This includes the

free exercise of political choice. In respect of its solemn

commitment to the Constitution, the Royal Government

is making preparations for the holding of local elections

in 1997 and national elections in 1998. To this end, it

welcomes international technical and financial assistance,

as well as international observers.

The achievements of the Royal Government in a

short period of time have given it the confidence to

pursue efforts towards the declared aims of building a

State governed by the rule of law, a market system that

secures social benefits and ensuring the long term and

sustainable development of the national economy within

the framework of regional integration. Hence, last April,

Cambodia submitted its official request for full

membership in the Association of South-East Asian

Nations (ASEAN) by July 1997, in the recognition that

ASEAN is the vehicle for peace, security, stability, shared

opportunities and common prosperity in the region of

South-East Asia and the Asia-Pacific region at large.

Cambodia also takes note that the ASEAN Regional

Forum is an invaluable setting to discuss in a frank and

friendly manner security issues of common concern and

interest to all participants in the Forum, whether large or

small countries around the world. The ASEAN Regional

Forum has in fact already provided a sense of mutual

confidence, as reflected in the comfort felt by all the

senior officials and high representatives of the

participating countries. It can be viewed as a first step in

preventive, quiet diplomacy, thereby paving the way for

agreements on substantive issues in the coming years

based on the traditional consensus principle, which

characterizes ASEAN.

Cambodia is particularly proud to be able to

associate itself with all the countries in the region and to

substantially contribute to regional and world peace

through the signing of the South-East Asia Nuclear-

Weapon-Free Zone Treaty on 15 December 1995. This

marks real progress towards the creation of a zone of

peace, freedom and neutrality in South-East Asia.

Through the review of the Protocol to the Treaty, it is our

earnest hope that all nuclear-weapon States will accede to

the Treaty, in line with the aspirations of the peoples of

South-East Asia for a nuclear-weapon-free zone in this

part of the world.

Cambodia’s position on the question of nuclear

weapons has been and remains that a complete prohibition

of nuclear weapons and their destruction are basic to

14

world peace. Thus, a complete test ban will lead towards

the ultimate objective of complete nuclear disarmament.

The Kingdom of Cambodia is proud to have been able to

co-sponsor and sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban

Treaty, considered a significant step towards promoting

nuclear disarmament. This will be the greatest service that

our generation can perform to free future generations from

the terrible prospect of a world holocaust.

While we are addressing the issue of the CTBT and

the ban on weapons of mass destruction, we should not

overlook the issue of landmines in various parts of the

world. Cambodia is the hardest hit nation in the world. The

Royal Government and the people of Cambodia pay great

tribute to all the generous donor countries that have assisted

us in our efforts to rid the country of the scourge of

landmines. But how many millions of these cold, cruel and

silent enemies still await our unsuspecting and innocent

civilian population in remote areas of the country near the

western border? Banning them is an easy job. We need

international support to fully eradicate them.

In his message to the Review Conference of the States

Parties to the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional

Weapons last April, His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah

Norodom Sihanouk Varman, King of Cambodia, appealed

to all countries and peoples, international organizations,

States and Governments to take, in a universal consensus,

concrete measures towards definitively outlawing, as soon

as possible, the production, export, utilization and sale of

mines.

The Kingdom of Cambodia is therefore gratified by

the recent Chairman’s statement for the Third ASEAN

Regional Forum held last July in Jakarta. On the issue of

the global elimination of anti-personnel mines, the Forum

welcomed the decisions of several States to impose

moratoria and bans on the production, export and

operational use of these weapons. It recognized the need,

following conflict, for reinforcing international support for

efforts to detect and remove landmines and to assist

victims. Cambodia welcomes the initiatives of the Federal

Republic of Germany and of Canada in this General

Assembly and gives its full support to the proposed

resolutions.

Permit me to inform you, Sir, and all distinguished

delegates that my country is presently facing severe floods

affecting 1.3 million people, or one tenth of our population.

On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia and on

my own behalf, I would like to sincerely and deeply thank

the friendly Governments that have immediately given

generous humanitarian assistance to our afflicted people.

I would also like to take this opportunity to appeal to our

other friends to help relieve this blight.

The Kingdom of Cambodia recognizes the need to

focus attention on such issues as the trafficking in

narcotics and other criminal behaviour, which transcend

national borders and which can so intimately affect the

lives of each one of our citizens and undermine our social

structures. Such transnational issues do not appear

amenable to resolution other than by immediate ongoing

management through shared information and coordination.

Of particularly urgent concern is the issue of drug

trafficking.

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a victim of a rapid

escalation in the traffic of drugs transiting through its

territory. Unfortunately, Cambodia at present lacks the

appropriate legal, technical and financial means to deal

effectively with this problem. It nevertheless affirms its

strong commitment to drug control through effective

international cooperation. The Royal Government wishes

sincerely to thank the United States of America for its

strong support under the United States-Cambodia

Agreement to Counter Narcotics.

Cambodia is pleased with the decision taken by the

Third ASEAN Regional Forum to consider at the next

meeting the question of drug trafficking and other related

transnational issues such as economic crimes, including

money laundering, which could constitute threats to the

security of the countries of the region.

Through the good offices of the United Nations,

multilateral approaches to problems have provided useful

sources of information and highlighted issues close to the

hearts of many of our citizens. The past summit

conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing and Istanbul

have contributed to the promotion of gender equality, and

have given recognition to the role of women and children,

the improvement of the quality of life through health care

and adequate housing, respect for human rights, and

protection of the environment.

A further vital, and perhaps fundamental, issue for

the attention of every member of the international

community must be that of the widening gap between rich

and poor nations. This gap and its effects on the quality

of life of the citizens of the developing world is directly

related to the nature, organization and health of the world

economy. Vital decisions determining the shape and

nature of the world economy are, however, well outside

15

the control of a vast majority of nations, particularly those

in the third world.

Since the Non-Aligned Summit in Jakarta in 1992, no

indications have been observed of a rapid and solid

recovery in the world economy. Instabilities spread more

quickly from one country to another, particularly to

developing countries, which are now more vulnerable and

sensitive to external factors. The continuing trend towards

a global economy, with the increasingly free flow of capital

throughout the world without reference to national borders,

means that the ebbs and flows of the world economy have

an almost immediate effect around the world. For many

poorer nations, this has resulted in an increased national

debt burden with the consequence of greater instability in

the daily lives of their citizens.

Notions of competition are not realistic for countries

that from the outset have a mammoth burden of debt,

limited access to technology, and populations ill-equipped

to meet the challenges of the global economy. It is

Cambodia’s strong hope that through the United Nations we

can go a long way towards ameliorating this situation,

which is already at a crisis point for many nations in the

world community.

Therefore, the democratization of international

economic relations is essential to ensure that the

development interests of developing countries will be taken

fully into account. In this regard, it is also essential to place

development cooperation at the centre of the United Nations

mandate, role and functions. To do this, the United Nations

itself needs to begin the process of reform so that it is

better able to deal with the conditions of the new global

economy. The United Nations Conference on Trade and

Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Industrial

Development Organization should play a key role as focal

points of the United Nations system in the areas of trade

and development of developing countries. UNCTAD, in

particular, needs to study trends and issues in the world

economy, especially those that have an impact on

developing countries, and propose policies and measures

that can address projected problems. For instance,

Generalized Special Preference (GSP) donors should

simplify and harmonize the rules of origin. By the same

token, all political conditions attached to international trade,

development assistance and investment should cease. They

represent, in fact, a new wave of protectionism.

(spoke in French)

The delegation of Cambodia is deeply concerned at

the financial crisis in the United Nations today. With its

modest resources, Cambodia intends to meet its

responsibilities to do what it can to ease the financial

crisis. But if this Organization is to continue to exist true

to the spirit of its Charter, an equitable and fair solution

must be found, taking into account the need for sweeping

reform in United Nations structures which must reflect the

rapid changes in various parts of the world that have

taken place since the end of the cold war.

The broad reforms and restructuring of the United

Nations must also extend to the Security Council to

ensure that its work is both democratic and more

effective. In particular, Cambodia supports closer relations

between the Security Council and the General Assembly

through greater accountability of the Council to the

Assembly. Priority must be given to reform in economic,

social and other areas so as better to meet the challenges

and take account of the economic priorities of developing

countries against the backdrop of globalization.

As one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned

Movement in 1956 in Brioni, Yugoslavia, Cambodia has

consistently worked to promote solidarity among

Members and cooperate in the search for lasting peace in

the world and economic development that goes hand in

hand with social justice for all humankind.

As His Majesty the King emphasized in his message

on the thirty-fifth anniversary of its creation, the Non-

Aligned Movement is currently meeting challenges unlike

those that existed when it was established. Many lofty

aspirations for national independence and freedom have

become fact, but as His Majesty said:

“The majority of our members still have to deal with

huge problems caused by unemployment, poverty,

famine, drought, landmines, illiteracy, deforestation,

racial discrimination and terrorism. We must

therefore try to reduce military expenditure and the

production of landmines in order to devote our

national resources to the economic and social

development of our peoples.”

In recent years, the world has seen several

developments regarding the strengthening of regional

security and political stability. First of all, the Kingdom

of Cambodia wishes sincerely to welcome the

establishment of the Southern Philippines Council for

Peace and Development and the peace process in

Mindanao. It fully supports the peace agreements

16

concluded between the Government of the Philippines and

the Moro National Liberation Front on 2 September 1996.

These agreements will undoubtedly contribute to an end to

the conflict in the southern Philippines, bringing both

lasting peace to Mindanao and prosperity and national

harmony to the fraternal people of the Philippines.

Cambodia welcomes the Dayton Peace Agreement and

the signing on 14 December 1995 in Paris of the General

Framework for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the

Framework Agreement) between the Republic of Bosnia

and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, the Federal

Republic of Yugoslavia and other concerned parties.

Cambodia welcomes the announcement of the end of

the war in Chechnya, thereby ending the suffering of the

warring parties, and particularly the innocent civilian

population.

Cambodia welcomes progress made since August 1995

in the Middle East peace process, particularly the

implementation of the Declaration of Principles on Interim

Self-Government Arrangements between the Palestine

Liberation Organization and Israel, the Israeli-Palestinian

Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip of

28 September 1995, the first Palestinian elections on 20

January 1996, as well as the beginning of negotiations on

the final status between the Palestinians and Israelis in Taba

in May 1996. Cambodia calls for the continuation of the

peace talks, bearing in mind the inalienable right of the

Palestinian people to self-determination and to an

independent State on its national territory with the support

of the international community.

My country is deeply concerned at the recent situation

in Afghanistan where war continues to bring death and

devastation. We hope that our Afghan brothers will be able

to overcome their differences and will soon find the path to

dialogue.

With regard to the situation on the Korean peninsula,

Cambodia supports the reunification efforts of the Korean

peoples on the basis of the principles set forth in the Joint

Declaration on Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula of

4 July 1972 and the accord of February 1992. We also

welcome initiatives to formulate a definitive peace

agreement promoting solid peace and security on the

peninsula.

In respect of Africa, the Royal Government of

Cambodia welcomes the adoption by the General Assembly

of resolution 49/142. We are aware of the tremendous

difficulties facing African States in bringing development

and prosperity to their respective peoples. Cambodia calls

for the speedy implementation of the United Nations New

Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s and

the consolidation of efforts to diversify the African

economy. We hope that with the helping hand of the

international community, particularly the donor countries,

this great continent will profit from the opportunities

available to it and join in the efforts to achieve

sustainable development, a major challenge facing all the

countries of the world.