Deadlock yours to fix: US official
A senior US State Department official visiting the kingdom said yesterday that any solution to the current political deadlock would have to come from within Cambodia and not from foreign powers.
Scot Marciel, principle deputy assistant secretary at the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, was on a two-day visit to Cambodia and met with government and opposition officials, civil society groups and business representatives.
Marciel said that although the US supports stronger democracy in Cambodia, “any solutions has to be a Cambodian solution”. …
“Again, the US government’s role here is not to give political advice to the government or to the opposition … this has to be solved among Cambodians,” he said. …
Although he said the US would not take sides, Marciel echoed his government’s consistent push for an investigation into election irregularities – a key CNRP demand. …
Ouch Borith, secretary of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that his meeting with Marciel was a positive one.
“I am happy to have met with him today as an old friend … He raised the US policy of supporting Cambodia both politically and economically, which is a key part of our cooperation,” Borith said. …
Kevin Ponniah, P.1 and 4
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