U.S-Cambodia celebrate 60 years of diplomatic ties

A poster of Dengue Fever with Miss Chhom Nimol, the lead singer, in the middle.

By Khmerization
Source: RFI

The United States and Cambodia established diplomatic ties on 11th May 1950 and this week the U.S Embassy in Phnom Penh is throwing a big party with free concerts by the Khmer-American band Dengue Fever, reports Radio France Internationale.

In a speech, Mrs. Carol A. Rodley, the U.S Ambassador to Cambodia, has applauded and praised the good relations between the two countries. The event will be marked with the performances by the hybrid Cambodian-American band Dengue Fever featuring its Cambodian lead singer Chhom Nimol as well as performers from the 1960s and 1970s.

Mr. Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, said the relations between the two countries have been improving in all sectors - economic and trades as well as a joint combat against cross-border and transnational terrorism. He said Cambodia hopes to foster a stronger and better relations with the United States.

The United States established diplomatic ties with Cambodia in 1950 and at that time had provided a sizable amount of economic and military aid to Cambodia. However, in the mid 1960s, anger with American pressures for him to abandon his policy of neutrality, Sihanouk rejected American aid and eventually severed diplomatic ties with Washington. In 1970, the U.S.-backed coup d'etat led by Marshal Lon Nol ousted Sihanouk from power. In 1975, The U.S cut all diplomatic ties with Cambodia when the Chinese-backed Khmer Rouge regime took power in Cambodia. The United States re-established diplomatic relations with Cambodia in 1991 after the UN-brokered peace agreements in Cambodia.

Since 1991, the U.S government had been providing certain amount of aid to Cambodia. However, it decided to cut all military aid to Cambodia when it cancelled a delivery of 200 military trucks to Cambodia in May 2010 in protest against Cambodia' s decision to repatriate 20 Uighurs asylum-seekers back to China in December 2009.

However, commenting on the issue on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Cambodia-U.S diplomatic relations, Mr. Koy Kuong said the American decision to halt aid to Cambodia has not affected the good relations between the two countries.