Prime Minister Hun Manet urged citizens to maintain their trust in his commitment to safeguarding the Kingdom’s interests, during a meeting with members of the Cambodian diaspora on December 16 in Japan.

“Please trust in our dedication to protecting the interests of our nation. I’ve observed that many have spoken about our interests. Particularly, some Cambodians living abroad have incited young people in Cambodia to oppose the government,” he said.

“We have diligently worked to protect our national interests, focusing on the remaining 16 per cent of our border demarcation with Vietnam. This ongoing process requires years of negotiation. Our team is committed to tirelessly safeguarding our nation’s interests,” he stated.

Yang Peou, secretary-general of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, commented on December 17 that the border agreement with Vietnam is 84 per cent complete. This leaves approximately 16 per cent of the 1,270km border to be finalised by the two countries.

He noted that several unresolved contentious points still exist in the border discussions.

“We wish to highlight that if the government had conceded, as the opposition group alleges, over the border issue, it would mean accepting the terms without resolving the remaining [area],” said Peou.

“Our team has conducted research and discovered several outstanding issues regarding the Cambodian and Vietnamese border,” he added.

He noted that the Cambodian and Vietnamese governments have sought France’s interpretation of the map to finalise border delineation, but there has been no response as of yet.

“The government has done everything in the best interest of Cambodia. Accepting the current situation comes at a cost, irrespective of the historical colonial context. Hence, we are left with 16 per cent of the border yet to demarcate,” he said.