Cambodia's Prime Minister Calls Economic Sanctions One Of Causes Of World Instability

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday called the imposition of economic sanctions one of the causes of instability in the world, along with the escalation of armed conflicts, the rise of security alliances, and trade wars.

"Global uncertainties have been exacerbated by the escalation of armed conflicts, arms race, the rise of mini-security alliances, technology, and trade wars, the imposition of economic sanctions, and amounting threats to multilateralism," Sen told the UN General Assembly.

The prime minister said that the conflict in Ukraine "has complicated not just international relations in Europe, but caused serious economic disruptions, and exacerbated our food and energy security," adding that "the escalation of hostilities involving more and more actors directly or indirectly, and with no end in sight, coupled with the threat of nuclear war, have serious impacts on the world at large."

Sen expressed concerns about the increased number of missile tests carried out by North Korea, adding that "the Us-China tension over the Taiwan issue has also posed a concern."

"In this very challenging environment, as a country that has experienced a hard-earned peace in our own history, Cambodia is making great efforts to engage constructively with the United Nations in upholding international peace and security, as well as promoting respect for the fundamental principals and values of the UN Charter and international laws," the prime minister said.

Sen also noted the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is chaired by Cambodia in 2022, in promoting and upholding the principle of multilateralism in international politics in the complex contemporary environment. In this regard, the prime minister recalled East Timor's aspiration to join ASEAN and wished its delegation to join the bloc and become the eleventh member of ASEAN in 2022 or 2023.

The prime minister also focused on the political crisis in Myanmar and underscored Cambodia's efforts to implement ASEAN's 5-Point Consensus on Myanmar, stipulating the cessation of political violence by all parties and the resolution of the conflict through ASEAN-mediated negotiations.

Sen thanked all the countries that supplied vaccines to Cambodia during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the international assistance helped Cambodia to become the first in terms of vaccination rates and allowed for the early lifting of COVID restrictions and opening of the country for visits in late 2021. The prime minister underscored the need for a well-functioning system of multilateral health cooperation, a system of equitable vaccine distribution, and free cross-border transfer of vaccine production technology to repel future possible pandemics more effectively.