Cambodia Reaffirms Commitment to International Law at UN Security Council Debate

NEW YORK, May 27, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia’s foreign minister has urged diplomacy and respect for sovereignty at the United Nations Security Council, citing his country’s own border conflict with Thailand as proof that disputes must be resolved peacefully.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn delivered Cambodia’s national statement at the Council’s high‑level open debate on May 26, stressing that territorial integrity and dialogue must remain central to the international order amid rising turbulence, armed conflicts and geopolitical tensions.

He reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to the UN Charter, saying disputes should be settled “exclusively through dialogue, diplomacy and adherence to international law.”

Prak Sokhonn thanked the international community for supporting the ceasefire along Cambodia’s frontier with Thailand, where clashes displaced more than 640,000 people.

Authorities say most have returned, but around 31,000 — including thousands of women and children — remain uprooted.

Cambodian officials accuse Thai forces of installing barbed wire and shipping containers inside their territory, preventing families from resettling.

ASEAN observers have inspected the sites, underscoring the need for joint boundary demarcation under accords signed in 2025.

The debate was chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with UN Secretary‑General António Guterres warning of the highest number of conflicts since the UN’s founding and calling for greater investment in diplomacy and long‑delayed Security Council reform.