PHNOM PENH: Commander of the 70th Brigade, Lt. Gen. Mao Sophan, vowed to increase the unity and solidarity of the army in order to thwart any attempt that destroys peace and political stability in Cambodia.

Speaking at the ribbon cutting ceremony for several new military buildings for the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) in Phnom Penh, Lt. Gen. Mao Sophan stated that all attempts to start a revolution in Cambodia will be destroyed.

"We are determined to thwart any attempt to undermine peace and political stability; to defeat any tactic to establish a revolution in the motherland of Cambodia; and to oppose any outside interference in the internal affairs of the country," he said.

At the same ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Sen stated that national unity is vital to maintaining the peace, harmony and well-being of the Cambodian people. He added that only peace can make the country prosperous and improve people’s daily lives.

He said, "We can clearly see the great and priceless merits of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, who sacrifice their lives to fulfill their noble mission for the nation, religion, and the king at all times.”

Cambodia descended into war in 1970 after Lon Nol staged a coup to oust Prince Norodom Sihanouk. This conflict continued until the end of 1998, when Cambodia was able to regain peace through the Win-Win policy of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The war officially ended on December 29, 1998, bringing peace and national unity, which gave Cambodia the opportunity to develop and grow to this day. The founder of peace in Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen, has often declared that he is wholly committed to maintaining this hard-won peace at all costs.