Hun Manet says Cambodia will not retreat from the compulsory mediation mechanism with Thailand

Prime Minister Hun Manet speaking at the National Assembly yesterday ahead of the unanimous approval of the draft law on military service. AKP

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has reaffirmed that the Royal Government will continue pursuing a compulsory mediation mechanism and will not step back to bilateral negotiations as requested by Thailand.

Speaking during an extraordinary session of the seventh-mandate National Assembly today, Mr Hun Manet stressed that Cambodia’s position on the matter remains firm and unchanged.

“I would like to clearly reaffirm that the Royal Government will use the mechanism of compulsory mediation and will not retreat according to the demands of the Thai side, which wants to return to bilateral negotiations,” the prime minister said.

The Premier made the remarks amid ongoing tensions and diplomatic discussions between Cambodia and Thailand following border-related disputes and military confrontations in recent years.

The Cambodian government has repeatedly maintained that international mechanisms and legal frameworks are important tools for resolving disputes peacefully and fairly, particularly in issues concerning sovereignty and border matters.