Prime Minister Hun Manet has stressed that negotiations over Cambodia’s borders must be grounded in legal documents and clear technical evidence, saying the government must exercise patience and diligence to safeguard national sovereignty.

In a message posted on his official Facebook page today, Mr Hun Manet said border negotiations were a major responsibility of the government to the nation and its people and could not rely on unverified information or hearsay.

“Border negotiations between countries are a major responsibility of the Royal Government to the nation and its people. They require a clear basis in documentary evidence, law and technical matters, as well as meticulous work and a high degree of patience to protect our national sovereignty,” he said.

He stressed that border-related work could not be conducted without a legal basis or clear technical information, nor could it rely on documents from unreliable sources, including television, social media, hearsay or personal intuition.

Mr Hun Manet said the choice of mechanisms to resolve border disputes must depend on the circumstances and the actual situation, pointing to Cambodia’s use of bilateral mechanisms for land border issues and international mechanisms for maritime disputes.

He said Cambodia was working to advance negotiations through the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) to address land border issues with Thailand.

For maritime boundary issues, Cambodia was pursuing an international mechanism through compulsory conciliation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The Prime Minister also wished the Cambodian delegation and legal team success in the second meeting of the UNCLOS Conciliation Commission involving Cambodia and Thailand, held from October 14-18 in The Hague, the Netherlands.

The delegation is led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn, who serves as Cambodia’s agent in the proceedings.