Cambodia Foreign Minister Previews Upcoming UN Speech

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong is slated to deliver a speech to the UN’s General Assembly on Monday in New York. His speech comes as Cambodia’s profile on the world stage has expanded in recent years. Cambodia has and improved economy and a growing relationship with China and is moving toward the completion of a UN-backed trial for two aging Khmer Rouge leaders. But Hor Namhong’s speech also comes amid deep criticism of Cambodia’s human rights record and a controversial agreement with Australia to help it resettle refuges in exchange for aid money. Hor Namhong spoke to VOA Khmer in New York on Saturday, as he prepared for his Monday delivery. In response to criticism of Cambodia’s deal with Australia, he said Cambodia was taking the refuges “on a humanitarian basis.” (Sok Khemara, Washington)