(Phnom Penh): Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn held a telephone conversation with Allison Hooker, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, to discuss efforts to strengthen Cambodia–US bilateral relations further and to seek a peaceful solution to the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.
Both sides applauded the significant progress achieved in bilateral relations between Cambodia and the United States in recent years and reaffirmed their shared commitment to expanding cooperation across key areas of mutual interest, including security, according to a press release seen by Fresh News on Sunday (May 17).
On transnational crime, the minister highlighted Cambodia’s intensified efforts to combat online scams, including the recent enactment of the Law on Combating Online Scams.
Allison Hooker commended Cambodia’s strong efforts and the progress made in addressing this form of cybercrime, while underscoring the readiness of US law enforcement agencies to work closely with the relevant Cambodian authorities in this regard.
Regarding the Cambodia–Thailand border situation, Minister Sokhonn reiterated Cambodia’s deep appreciation for the United States for its continued support for the ongoing peace process.
He reaffirmed Cambodia’s resolve to fully honour the Ceasefire Agreement of 28 July 2025, the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration of 26 October 2025, and the Joint Statement of the 3rd Special Meeting of the General Border Committee of 27 December 2025.
He also apprised Allison Hooker of Cambodia’s decision to pursue compulsory conciliation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), following Thailand’s unilateral termination of the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding on the Area of Overlapping Maritime Claims to the Continental Shelf between Cambodia and Thailand.
Minister Sokhonn stressed that Cambodia has consistently pursued a peaceful approach to resolving border issues with its neighbours in accordance with international law, and reaffirmed Cambodia’s desire to advance efforts to restore trust and normalise relations between Cambodia and Thailand.
Allison Hooker reaffirmed the United States’ continued close attention to promoting the effective implementation of the obligations under the Kuala Lumpur Accords and urged both sides to make full use of existing bilateral mechanisms, including the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), the General Border Committee (GBC), and the Joint Coordinating Task Force (JCTF), to address the root causes of the conflict and support the peaceful resolution of the issues.
=FRESH NEWS
