"We Are No Longer Safe": Cambodia's Diplomatic Plea to Avoid War Despite Existential Threat

“We Are No Longer Safe”: Cambodia’s Diplomatic Plea to Avoid War Despite Existential Threat

PHNOM PENH — Cambodia’s commitment to peace is born not from weakness, but from profound historical experience, a truth powerfully articulated by H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. In a direct and poignant statement, the Deputy Prime Minister laid bare the nation’s core security dilemma: the desire to maintain stability in the face of external aggression.

“Our greatest effort is to avoid war!” H.E. Prak Sokhonn stated. “It is not because we fear war, but because we know that war brings only destruction.”

This declaration serves as a crucial clarification of Cambodia’s strategic policy, especially concerning recent border tensions. It affirms that the nation’s consistent push for diplomatic resolution and “strategic restraint” is rooted in a fundamental valuation of human life and economic development over military confrontation.

Defending Sovereignty Without Aggression

The statement draws a clear moral boundary, positioning Cambodia as a state committed to non-aggression. H.E. Prak Sokhonn emphasized:

“We are not those who covet others’ land, nor are we aggressors seeking to seize what is not ours.”

This highlights Cambodia’s adherence to international law and the principles of non-interference. However, the Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged the difficult reality faced by the nation’s armed forces on the frontier:

“We are compelled to take up arms solely to defend the integrity of our territory.”

This is the very essence of the nation’s defense doctrine: military action is reserved strictly as the last resort to defend national integrity, not as an instrument of expansion or offense. It mirrors the stance articulated by Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, who have repeatedly underscored that military force will only be used when sovereignty is directly and fundamentally threatened.

The Existential Cost of Peacekeeping

Perhaps the most alarming part of the Deputy Prime Minister’s message is the acknowledgment of a shifting security landscape, one where diplomatic efforts are increasingly strained:

“We have done so much—and yet, we are no longer safe.”

This phrase carries immense weight, suggesting that despite Cambodia’s adherence to bilateral agreements, the ceasefire, and international legal frameworks, the threat to its territory and people remains acute.

The phrase “we have done so much” refers to the comprehensive efforts undertaken by Cambodia, which include:

  1. Strict Compliance: Maintaining strict adherence to the ceasefire, even in the face of provocation.
  2. Diplomatic Channels: Utilizing high-level diplomatic channels, including ASEAN and the UN, to seek mediation and resolution.
  3. National Restraint: Encouraging national calm and unity, as seen in the appeals to citizens not to panic or fall prey to warmongering narratives.

Ultimately, H.E. Prak Sokhonn’s statement is a powerful call for global attention. It reinforces that Cambodia’s choice to pursue peace is a strategic sacrifice—one that costs the nation dearly—but is necessary to protect the decades of stability and progress gained since the end of civil war.

The core message remains: Cambodia will pay the price of strategic restraint to avoid the destruction of war, but the world must recognize that even a state committed to peace can be pushed to the brink when its sovereignty is violated.

Read more: “Strategic Restraint”: The Key Lesson Cambodia Gains from Thai Ceasefire Violations