Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday said the pending Cambodia Democracy Act would impact his country’s relationship with the United States, should it pass.
Speaking during a visit at the construction site of his title-bearing Morodok Techo National Stadium in the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Hun Sen said that if the U.S. sanctions as stated in the bill are enforced against “Defense Minister Tea Banh, it is the equivalent of cutting defense ties [with Cambodia]. Sanctions against Sar Kheng equals cutting police cooperation [with Cambodia]. Sanctions against Prak Sokhonn equals cutting diplomatic (bilateral) ties [with Cambodia].”
The U.S. House of Representatives in mid-July unanimously voted to pass the bipartisan Cambodia Democracy Act or H.R. 526 in order to encourage free and fair elections, the respect for human rights and political rights as well as to impose economic sanction and restrict visas for Hun Sen’s senior officials for their undermining democracy and violating human rights in Cambodia.
In full: https://www.voacambodia.com/a/hun-sen-says-sanctions-would-impact-us-cambodia-ties/5021912.html
