Scot Marciel, Deputy Assistant Secretary of state, East Asia and Pacific Bureau and Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs of the United State visited Cambodia on February 9 and he met different Cambodia government officials and opposition party leaders.
He told the reporters in briefing conference at the US embassy in Phnom Penh that his visit here is to strengthen the cooperation bilaterally and with ASEAN countries. We have engagement with ASEAN countries and can do build more cooperation to try to deal issues commonly,” he said in press briefing. His visit includes Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and He is scheduled to go to Indonesia to work on President Obama's visit to Indonesia in March. Through his visit, Cambodia has required the United States government to cancel the debt but if it cannot do at least 70 percent of the debt into development aid for the country," his Excellency Ouch Borith, secretary of state for ministry of foreign affair and international cooperation said after the meeting between Scot Marciel, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affair and Intentional Cooperation Hor Nam Hong at foreign ministry.
Cambodia will discuss repayment plans for the remaining 30 percent if the US accepted this requirement,” he said. Cambodia asked the United States to cancel debt since the 1970s. According to Cheam Yeam, lawmaker said previously that Cambodia owed the US about 330 million US dollar debt but some source are about 317 or 339 million US dollar. “The U.S. administration does not have legal authority to forgive debt and only congress can do,” Mr Scot told reporters. For Cambodia-Thailand border issue: Scot Marciel said that we are good friends with Cambodia and Thailand. And we are like most other countries are concerned the tension between the two countries. We hoped that both governments and leaders will do what they can to try to reduce tension and then to work trying to find a peaceful solution to these problems." He said. Cambodian and Thai troops have confronted at border near 11 century Khmer Preah Vihear temple since July 2008 after Cambodian listed Preah Vihear temple as world heritage site. Thailand used own map to invade Cambodia soil and sent troop on Cambodia soil..
For ASEAN cooperation: Marciel said the U.S. has said regularly that Washington does "not see zero sum game" and "Our goal for Southeast Asia remains the same”. We would like to see Southeast Asia to achieve a goal that has been set out for itself, actually in the ASEAN blue print, which is more integration, political stability, a progress towards increase democracies, human rights and certainly economic prosperities and we continue to support those. At the same time, He said that "Chinese rapid development has led to increased engagement the region" and certainly to increase its influence.” That is natural reality. It's perfectly normal for these countries of the region who want to have good relations with the larger partner China, the major trading partner," said Scot Marciel. "We have certainly no problem with that," he added. Moreover, Marciel also met with Cambodian deputy prime minister and minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers Sok An. Both side made progress on the bilateral cooperation, Peng Ngoeurn, advisor to the council of minister told reporters. Dr. Sok An told the American side about the development of the anti-corruption law that needs to review as the justice ministry again after the government sent to the national assembly. That law needs to implement with criminal law,” Peng said. After Cambodia, Scot will visit Thailand. ##
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