Prime Minister Hun Sen rallied his foreign diplomatic corp to help push Cambodia’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council yesterday at a meeting in Phnom  Penh, foreign affairs spokesman Koy Kuong said.

Koy Kuong said the premier had urged Cambodia’s foreign ambassadors and consul generals to lobby other nations as the Kingdom seeks to garner votes in an election later this year for one of 10 non-permanent spots on UNSC in 2013 and 2014. “We hope that Cambodia will receive enough voice and will send a candidate to a non-permanent member UNSC seat,” he said.

“The most important thing which Cambodia aims to contribute is its experience to end war through the ‘win-win’ policy that brought real national reconciliation and full peace.”

The foreign affairs spokesman said there were about 100 countries that had pledged support for Cambodia.

Political analyst Lao Monghay said improving relationships with Vietnam, China and the US would pave the way for Cambodia to successfully campaign for a seat on the UNSC.

“Cambodia is likely to have a chance more than other competing countries such as Bhutan and South Korea,” he said.  

But Lao Monghay said Cambodia’s recent decision not to appoint UN-nominated Co-Investigating Judge Laurent Kasper-Ansermet to the Khmer Rouge tribunal could work against the country’s favour at the UNSC election.

The decision, which casts serious doubt over the hybrid court’s ability to conduct future investigations, has drawn sharp criticism from the UN, which has called it a breach of their agreement with the Cambodian government.