Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - PM, France’s Macron urge halt to Russian attacks on Ukraine

PM, France’s Macron urge halt to Russian attacks on Ukraine

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Prime Minister Hun Sen (left), who is also this year’s ASEAN chair, greets French President Emmanuel Macron prior to a working dinner at the presidential Elysee Palace, in Paris, on December 13. AFP

PM, France’s Macron urge halt to Russian attacks on Ukraine

Cambodia and France have called for an immediate cessation of airstrikes and drone attacks by Russia against the Ukrainian people and civilian infrastructure, while Prime Minister Hun Sen called his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron a “frank” and “trusted” conversation.

“Following the conference ‘In Solidarity with the Ukrainian People and aware of the suffering of the Ukrainian people resulting from the war waged by Russia’, [France and Cambodia] call for the immediate cessation of airstrikes and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilian populations and infrastructure.

“[We] would like all international partners to join in this call and exert their influence to this end,” said the Elysee Palace in a statement after their meeting on December 13.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Hun Sen said he appreciated and was motivated by what Macron had done for the people of Ukraine, while also thanking France for contributing to bringing peace and development to Cambodia.

Hun Sen told Macron that there was a surprise for him just before his departure for Europe: A stone inscription on a statue made in 1925, currently aged 97 years, that was destroyed by the Khmer Rouge in 1977.

Now, he said, Cambodia will restore this statue as a symbol of solidarity with France.

“This statue will be placed right in front of the French embassy in Phnom Penh, and I think that the president will not object to this project,” he said.

Hun Sen noted in a social media post on December 14 that Macron is his “close, frank, and trusted” conversation partner in strengthening the friendship between Cambodia and France.

“I thanked Emmanuel Macron for offering this sincere friendship,” he said.

Royal Academy of Cambodia secretary-general Yang Peou said Cambodia is against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine because it has already experienced the state of being invaded and endured the hardship of war for many years, while also suffering from embargos imposed by powerful countries during the cold war.

“So, the appeal of Prime Minister Hun Sen and Emmanuel Macron was the right one. We have to support each other and enforce the UN Charter and international laws. We don’t support invasions which pose dangers to innocent people,” he said.

He said the war is making the world suffer through political and economic crises, including food and energy security crises, and that it could lead to a large-scale war such as a world war if nuclear weapons of any type are used by Russia.

“It is innocent people who are suffering, especially during this cold winter,” he added.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom

  • PM warns of int’l election interference

    With the national election scheduled to take place in less than two months, Prime Minister Hun Sen has warned foreign nations and their diplomats not to interfere into Cambodia’s domestic affairs. He also hinted that their statements on court verdicts handed down to any