Cambodia’s Hun Sen Slams U.S. Threats Over Aid

By Chun Han Wong
August 3, 2013,

 

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia—Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday criticized U.S. threats to cut aid to the impoverished Southeast Asian nation if its election wasn’t free and fair, and dared American lawmakers to follow through on their warning.

EPA

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at a polling station in Kandal province on July 28.

His comments came after U.S. lawmakers started processes in the last two months that could result in a reduction of American financial aid to Cambodia, worth about $70 million a year.

“If [the U.S.] wants to cut aid, just cut it. Don’t talk so much,” Mr. Hun Sen, prime minister for 28 years, said during a visit to farmers in Kandal province, which surrounds the capital, Phnom Penh.

Any reduction in U.S. aid would only affect American-backed development projects and not the Cambodian government, said Mr. Hun Sen, whose party was returned to power in Sunday’s general election but with a much reduced majority.

U.S. House representatives and senators have introduced resolutions seeking to reduce aid, particularly direct assistance to the Cambodian government, if the U.S. State Department does not judge the country’s election to be “credible and competitive.”

Cambodia’s Sunday election has been hit by allegations of fraud and voter intimidation, even as preliminary results show the country’s main opposition group making strong gains on Mr. Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party.

Initial counts show the CPP taking 68 out of 123 legislative seats, down from 90 in 2008, and compared to 55 for the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party. But the opposition has rejected this result, claiming that it has won at least 63 seats. The CNRP also alleged “serious election irregularities” and called for a United Nations-backed investigation.

The U.S. and the European Union have expressed concern about alleged election irregularities, but stressed that an investigation should be handled by Cambodia’s electoral commission.

In his Friday comments, Mr. Hun Sen also alluded to Cambodia’s close diplomatic ties with China, which could make up for any reduction in U.S. aid.

“Last time the U.S cut our aid, they were going to give us 100 old trucks. The Chinese saw this and gave us 257 trucks,” the 60-year-old prime minister said.

China is Cambodia’s largest foreign investor and also a major donor and provider of development aid. Since 1992, Beijing has provided Cambodia with about $2.7 billion in loans and grants, according to Cambodia’s finance ministry.

In return, Cambodia has backed Beijing diplomatically, such as by following a “One China” policy that excludes Taiwan and recognizing supporting China’s stance in territorial disputes in the South China Sea

 Sun Narin contributed to this article.