Cambodian envoy leaves Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Cambodian Ambassador Hos Sereythonh left Manila yesterday, cutting short his tour of duty ahead of schedule after the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) protested about his comments on the West Philippine Sea dispute.

Hos, his wife, daughter and granddaughter boarded a Philippine Airlines flight to Vietnam at 1 p.m. and were seen off by Cambodian embassy Second Secretary Tan Chandaravuth.

Hos never showed up at the DFA to respond to its summons.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said Hos was summoned to appear at the DFA on July 30 but the envoy begged off, citing health reasons. The next day, Tan arrived at the DFA and received the DFA’s note verbale containing the protest over allegations Hos made in his letter to STAR editor-in-chief Ana Marie Pamintuan.

In the letter published by The STAR, Hos wrote that the Philippines and Vietnam were playing “dirty politics” over the issue of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

A senior DFA official, who asked not to be named, said Cambodia addressed the matter by recalling Hos and appointing a new ambassador.

“That was addressed. The decision of his government is to recall him. They already informed our government that they are sending another ambassador,” the official told The STAR.

A senior female ambassador will take over Hos’ post.

Another senior DFA official said there is no agrément yet on the new ambassador.

“We’re in the process of granting agrément. It has to go to the Palace to be signed by the President,” the official said.

Cambodian ambassadors normally have three-year terms but Hos served as ambassador for only two years, since July 27, 2010.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Cambodian Foreign Ministry informed the DFA of the ambassador’s recall through a note verbale, but no reason was indicated in the diplomatic note.

Putting out the fire

Del Rosario believed relations between the Philippines and Cambodia will not be strained by Hos’ recall.

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.

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

The Cambodian Foreign Ministry also said that a new ambassador would take over from Hos and has requested facilitation of the agrément.

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 at the ASEAN ministers’ meeting 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 Philippine STAR on July 30, Hos accused the Philippines and Vietnam of attempting to “sabotage and hijack the joint communiqué” during the ASEAN meeting.

The following day the DFA summoned him 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 and announced that a joint communiqué “cannot be issued.”

Before his departure, Hos said he “loves the Philippines and the Filipino people will always be in his heart.”

He said someday he will visit the Philippines again as a tourist.

The Rasmei Kampuchea Daily, Cambodia’s largest daily newspaper, said local political analysts believe that the ambassador’s early return could be a move by Cambodia to ease tensions between the two Southeast Asian countries.

The newspaper said Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation spokesman Koy Kuong said the government was downplaying the ambassador’s return.

New government officials

Meanwhile, President Aquino swore in yesterday Filipino-Chinese tycoon and Oishi owner Carlos Chan as special envoy to China in addition to businessmen Domingo Lee and Cesar Zalamea.

Aquino had decided not to reappoint Lee as ambassador to China after his nomination was met with criticisms. Lee and Zalamea were tasked to get more tourists and investments from China, respectively.

Chan, whose Oishi company manufactures snack products, will not be entitled to salaries, emoluments or funding from the DFA or any other government agency and/or instrumentality but will be accorded diplomatic status with a diplomatic passport.

Under the terms of reference signed by the President delineating the duties and responsibilities of Chan, the special envoy was tasked to promote bilateral trade between the Philippines and China, “constantly on the look out for new and non-traditional Philippine products to introduce to the burgeoning Chinese market.” – Aurea Calica, Rudy Santos