US and Cambodia mark 60 years of bilateral ties

U.S marines training Cambodian soldiers.

Radio Australia

The United States and Cambodia are celebrating 60 years of diplomatic ties this year. But it hasn't been six decades of smooth sailing. In the 1960's and 70's America's secret bombing of Cambodia was disastrously destabilising for the Kingdom. Then came the brutal years of the Khmer Rouge and diplomatic relations with the US weren't re-established until 1991. The last few years, however, have seen a deepening of ties between the two nations, with military aid resuming, humanitarian aid flowing, and oil and mineral investments looming.

Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speakers: Ted Allegra, Charge d'Affaires US Embassy in Phnom Penh

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ALLEGRA: Sixty years in any relationship is a long time and it's no different for the US-Cambodia relations and on the occasion of the 60th anniversary this year, I mean it's an appropriate time we believe to not only look back and to see where we began and how it developed through good and through difficult parts and just as importantly, to look to the future and see where the relationship can proceed.

COCHRANE: Let's look forward then. What are the key areas of interest from the American side in this bilateral relationship?

ALLEGRA: We've got a growing military-to-military relationship. Some of the things we are looking at the 60th anniversary commemoration to highlight are Cambodia's hosting the global peacekeeping initiative exercises this July which will attract over a thousand troops from 23 different nations and specifically, as Cambodia was a recipient of UN peacekeeping efforts for so many years, it is quite astonishing and quite complimentary that they actually can be a provider of peacekeeping troops around the world.

We also have the US hospital ship, Mercy, coming next month for a humanitarian mission and doctors, dentists and even veterinarians will be deployed throughout Cambodia to give basic health services and provide even emergency or serious health attention if needed. We've got in the economic dimension, we're looking to do robust commercial diplomacy, attracting the interest of America's investors and business people. All these writ large become the focus of some of our activity this summer, the focus for some of our events and really a defining moment to chart US-Cambodia relationship for the future.

COCHRANE: One of the things that has challenged that relationship recently has been the issue of the Quigurs that were deported from Cambodia to China. The US after that incident voiced its displeasure, condemned the actions of the Cambodian Government. How has that affected the diplomatic relationship?

ALLEGRA: Well, Washington issued a statement at the time of the event. We, of course, were disappointed in Cambodia's decision to do that. We engaged with the Cambodian Government before that happened and after it happened and perhaps we will continue to do so. The important thing to remember however though that as our relationship develops, it also matures, so one incident does not itself define our relationship that is as broad in scope and depth and breadth as I have just pointed out to you and that issue will not define the relationship in it of itself.

COCHRANE: The incident itself did highlight the other diplomatic players sometime after, in the case of the US, the response was consequences that were promised. It turned out to be the cancellation of an order of trucks in the military cooperation plan. Now, a short time afterwards, China donated trucks in a similar kind of manner. It's an interesting geo-political kind of play there. How would you describe China's role diplomatically in Cambodia?

ALLEGRA: First of all, that notion is one I think that is prompted more by journalists than diplomats.

COCHRANE: Which journalists?

ALLEGRA: The notion of a kind of diplomatic game on this one issue. But for our perspective it is not a game, it is not a competition. Our relationship with Cambodia is certainly based upon what we believe are to be mutual interest for both the United States and Cambodia. We are confident that our work and our diplomacy and our assistance reflects Cambodia's own desires and pronouncements for its futures and specifically relates to the prime minister's rectangular strategy for the future of Cambodia. We look to assist the government in its efforts to do just that and we think we have a broad range of things designed just for that purpose.