Phl sees improving ties with Cambodia as envoy recalled

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines sees improving bilateral relations with Cambodia with the recall of its top diplomat in the country.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed yesterday that Cambodia has recalled Ambassador Hos Sereythonh who had accused the Philippines and Vietnam of playing “dirty politics” over the issue of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Cambodian Foreign Ministry informed the DFA of the ambassador’s recall through a note verbale.

No reason for Hos’ recall was indicated in the diplomatic note.

“All we received was a note verbale to say that he was being replaced,” Del Rosario told reporters during the celebration for the 45th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the DFA.

Del Rosario said Hos is scheduled to leave on Aug. 17.

The STAR reported on Friday that Hos was ending his tour of duty a year ahead of schedule and a note verbale was handed to the DFA informing the host government that Hos is leaving next week.

Sources told The STAR that Hos will be replaced by a senior female ambassador.

Hos has not yet appeared at the DFA after the Philippines protested his serious accusations and comments linked to the Philippines’ territorial row with China.

When asked if he believed Hos had clearance from the Foreign Ministry when he wrote the letter to The STAR, Del Rosario said, “I don’t think an ambassador can move on his own.”

But the secretary is confident the relations between the Philippines and Cambodia will not be strained despite Hos’ recall.

“I don’t think it affects the bilateral relations at all. And I’d like to think we’re looking forward to healthy bilateral relations with Cambodia,” Del Rosario said.

Tan Chandaravuth, second secretary and consul of the Cambodian embassy, declined to comment when asked about the ambassador’s recall.

“Thank you for your interest but I have no comment. I cannot tell you now. I’m sorry,” Tan told reporters.

Tan represented the embassy during the ASEAN Day celebration.

DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Cambodian embassy in Manila separately sent a note verbale and informed the DFA of the end of Hos’ assignment.

He said the Philippine embassy in Phnom Penh received last week a note verbale from the Cambodian Foreign Ministry while the DFA was presented a diplomatic note early this week by the embassy informing the host government that their ambassador in Manila will be recalled and replaced by another ambassador.

“We received a note verbale from the Cambodian Ministry and it was given to our ambassador in Phnom Penh and early last week we also received the same note verbale from here,” Hernandez said in a press briefing.

The Cambodian Foreign Ministry also gave information that a new ambassador has been proposed to take over from Hos and has requested facilitation of the agrément.

“This is the prerogative of a sending state to recall or to reassign its ambassador. Cambodia is an ASEAN member and our friend and we hope that the Cambodian ambassador will reinforce the friendship that exists between the two countries,” he said.

He said the Philippines and Cambodia have maintained bilateral relations for the past 55 years. Initiatives for joint cooperation and partnership are progressing steadily.

“The appointment of a new ambassador as well as the request for facilitation of the agrément attests to the continued commitment to strengthen relations,” Hernandez said.

According to Hernandez, the note verbale indicated Hos’ end of assignment and his replacement but made no reference to his accusations and comments and did not contain an apology.

“I believe that the note verbale was only stating the fact that they are replacing the ambassador with another ambassador,” he said.

The DFA asked Hos on July 31 to authorize the release to the public of evidence which should end all speculation on what really happened in Phnom Penh last month when the chairman objected to the issuance of the joint communiqué.

The 10-nation bloc for the first time in its 45-year history failed to issue a joint statement because of tensions over the maritime disputes.

In a letter-to-the-editor published in The STAR, Hos accused the Philippines and Vietnam of attempting to “sabotage and hijack the joint communiqué” during the ASEAN meeting.

The ambassador was originally summoned to appear to the DFA on July 30 but begged off for health reasons.

Hos informed the DFA that he was unable to come as he was indisposed and had to be represented by Cambodian embassy Second Secretary Tan.

The DFA said it would continue summoning the ambassador even as the note verbale containing the protest for Hos’ serious accusations against the Philippines was handed to Tan by Undersecretary for Policy Erlinda Basilio.

Basilio asked Tan to convey to the ambassador the need to explain what were laid down and the serious accusations he made in his letter.

The DFA emphasized that Basilio was present in all the meetings in Phnom Penh and the ambassador was not.

Hos was asked by the DFA to explain his accusation that “dirty politics” was behind the “inflexible and non-negotiable” position of the Philippines and Vietnam on the inclusion of the West Philippine Sea dispute with China in the joint communiqué.

Cambodia consistently opposed any mention of the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in all the joint statement and announced that a joint communiqué “cannot be issued.”