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| Hos Sereythonh |
MANILA, Philippines - Cambodia’s top diplomat in the Philippines
still has not shown up at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
despite being summoned to explain his serious accusations against the
host government.
DFA sources said that the department is giving Cambodian Ambassador
Hos Sereythonh time to appear at the DFA to meet with Undersecretary for
Policy Erlinda Basilio.
Hos has not appeared at the DFA despite official summons, claiming he has the flu.
DFA said the ambassador cannot ignore his host government’s summons,
which could be reason to declare a diplomat persona non grata, but that
might be “too harsh.”
“It’s a diplomatic practice, you come if invited. Any diplomat knows
the consequence if he does not come after being summoned. The role of an
ambassador is ‘to make friends and win friends for your country.’ Let’s
wait, let’s give him time,” a source told The STAR.
Sources said the DFA believe it was not appropriate for a diplomat to
communicate his anger without first holding discussions with the host
government.
“Why did he not see the DFA first?” another source said.
A former DFA official and retired diplomat, who requested anonymity,
said the ambassador should be given warning if he still fails to appear
at the DFA.
“He claims health reasons but that’s subject to proof. He can’t just
ignore a request of the host government and claim health reasons,” he
said.
The retired diplomat said, “I think informally this should be discussed between the capitals and if at all, quietly.”
“After all, Cambodia and the Philippines are ASEAN (Association of
Southeast Asian Nation) members. I don’t know if Phnom Penh has already
talked to him (Hos) or not. My concern is this thing should not
exacerbate further the uneasy relations between the Philippines and
Cambodia,” he added.
The ambassador was summoned again on Tuesday but he informed the DFA
that he was unable to come as he was indisposed and had to be
represented by Cambodian embassy Second Secretary Tan Chandaravuth.
The DFA asked Hos to authorize the release to the public of evidence
which should end all speculation on what really happened in Phnom Penh
last month when the chairman objected to the issuance of a joint
communiqué.
Hos was originally summoned to appear at the DFA on Monday but begged off for health reasons.
The DFA will continue summoning the ambassador even as the note
verbale containing the protest for Hos’ serious accusations against the
Philippines was handed to Tan by Basilio.
Basilio asked Tan to convey to the ambassador the need to explain
what were laid down and the serious accusations he made in his letter to
the editor published in The STAR.
The DFA pointed out that Basilio was present in all the meetings in Phnom Penh and the ambassador was not.
Hos was also asked by the DFA to explain his accusation that “dirty
politics” was behind the “inflexible and non-negotiable” position of the
Philippines and Vietnam on the inclusion of the West Philippine Sea
(South China Sea) dispute with China in the joint communiqué.
When asked if the ambassador could be declared persona non grata, DFA
spokesperson Raul Hernandez said, “We are not going there yet.”
“What is important is for him to explain to us what he meant by the
statement that he had released or written in that letter to the editor
in The Philippine STAR.”
The DFA defended Basilio from Hos’ accusation that she had tried to
manipulate, distort and exaggerate developments in the West Philippine
Sea involving China in order to make her case.
Hos had also claimed that Basilio’s article, “What happened in Phnom Penh?” represented the country’s official position.
Basilio, Hernandez said, is “a professional diplomat with an unblemished record of nearly 50 years of service to the country.”
“Her statements were objective, factual and true,” he said.
2 comments:
If ASEAN combine their military forces, it would be easily exceed two million men, and could make China back down. However, this is not the case. At least one fifth of the ASEAN's members are getting economic aid from China and do not feel the need to chellenge China, especially those counties, such as Cambodia, do not have the dispute territory with China.
The next country, Myanmar to hold rotation of chairmanship in 2013 for ASEAN, probably not able to empower ASEAN military might either, and not likely and willingly to chellenge China. Also ASEAN see the need for China and the US to support them to fight among themselve within South East Asia. This is certain that China able to find the way to crack the unity among ASEAN which is always looking for their own interest than the reginal interest. Forexample, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia are always have the borders dispute which always search for way to gain the upper hand and they are likely reach out to the US, Russia, and China as their support as to up grade their weapons.
China has 3 millions soldiers highly trained with mordernize weapons and Atomic bombs plenties to kills all populations of 6.5billions people on this planet earth 100 times over.What are you going to do with 2 millions Asians combines forces? And, who is giong to be incharged these Asian's forces!? Languages bearier,these Asians don't countries didn't even like each others.For example;Siams,Khmers and Yuons hated each others always want to kill each others.
It is not going to work my friend also lacks of modernize weapons,it will be chaotic from the start.China on there hand,one voice one army one commander,speaking the same language and knew how to operates their weapons with highly expertise on their weaponizations.
I think we should avoid war at all causes war id bad for all humanbeings.
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