Phnom penh: France is closely following the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute and has voiced its support for a peaceful settlement through bilateral mechanisms, ASEAN frameworks, and international law. The stance was conveyed by H.E. Olivier Richard, newly appointed French Ambassador to Cambodia, during a courtesy call on Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly (NA), at the NA Palace in Phnom Penh this morning.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Samdech Khuon Sudary underlined that Cambodia seeks to live peacefully with its neighbours as good friends and is firmly committed to turning its borders into zones of friendship, peace, cooperation, and development. She reaffirmed Cambodia’s determination to resolve the border issue with Thailand peacefully and patiently, stressing that the priority is to safeguard peace and ensure the safety of the people. ‘Cambodia has already endured wars and does not want its citizens to suffer again,’ she said, recalling that Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet had already conveyed this position to French President H.E. Emmanuel Macron and other international partners.

At the same time, the NA President thanked France for supporting the Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire, while expressing concern over its fragility, citing repeated violations by the Thai side, including encroachments on Cambodian sovereignty and actions affecting innocent civilians. She further noted that the Cambodia-Thailand border issue is not new, explaining that the dispute has persisted for many years because Thailand continues to rely on a unilaterally drawn map, while rejecting the internationally recognised map prepared by the Franco-Siamese Mixed Commission and failing to uphold the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding.