In a meeting of prime ministers Wednesday, Cambodia’s Hun Sen appeared to eliminate neighboring Laos as a potential route by which self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy could return to Cambodia as he has pledged to do in November.
Laos’ Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith met with Hun Sen in Phnom Penh during a state visit, and the two agreed to work together on several issues, including to peacefully resolve an ongoing border dispute.
Hun Sen spoke of the possibility of Laos allowing Sam Rainsy, acting president of the now-banned Cambodia National Rescue Party, to return to Cambodia through Laos, saying he did not believe that the Lao side would use this as a bargaining chip. But he did ask the Lao prime minister to clarify his country’s position regarding the possibility.
