Vietnam talks with Singapore about Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's 'Cambodia invasion' statement
Vietnam believes that Singapore understands Hanoi's message after its reaction to Mr. Lee's statement that does not objectively reflect history.
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Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh had a phone call with the Malaysian Foreign Minister on March 12. Photo:Foreign office. |
"I believe that Singapore clearly understands our message," Ms. Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said today at a regular press conference when answering the question of how Singapore responded after Vietnam spoke out about Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's statement that "Vietnam invaded Cambodia."
She said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies of Vietnam have had official and unofficial contacts with Singaporean partners, as well as sent diplomatic notes to the Singapore Embassy in Hanoi.
On June 4, Ms. Hang said that Vietnam regretted some statements that did not objectively reflect historical facts and had a negative impact on public opinion, referring to a social media post by Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
In a Facebook post on May 31 to express condolences over the passing of former Thai Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda, the Singaporean Prime Minister said that Mr. Prem's leadership period coincided with what he called "Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia and the Cambodian government that replaced the Khmer Rouge." He also said that Thai Prime Minister Prem coordinated with ASEAN partners to fight against Vietnam's "occupation."
This statement by Mr. Lee has met with a reaction from Cambodia, when Cambodian People's Party (CPP) MP Hun Many, son of Prime Minister Hun Sen, on June 3 objected to the statement of the Singaporean Prime Minister and affirmed that Vietnam had supported the CPP in overthrowing the Khmer Rouge.
Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh also said he raised the issue with Singapore's Defense Minister at the Shangri-La Dialogue last weekend. He asked Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong through his Singaporean counterpart to correct his remarks, stressing that they were "not true and do not reflect the history of the event."
Ms. Hang affirmed that Vietnam's contributions and sacrifices in joining the Cambodian people in ending the Khmer Rouge's genocide are widely recognized facts. On November 16, 2018, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) issued a verdict on the Khmer Rouge's crimes of genocide against humanity, providing justice for the victims, which was welcomed by the United Nations and the international community.
According to the spokesperson, as an active and responsible member of ASEAN, Vietnam has and will continue to work with other members towards the goal of building a strong, unified, united ASEAN Community with a central role in the region.
