PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has ordered all military units to recall US made weapons and equipment on Friday. His order came in response to the US announcement restricting the sale of arms and military equipment to Cambodia. He says that the armed units in the kingdom should immediately review their current weapons and equipment if there are any made or bought from the US.
He says, “In recent days, the United States has decided to restrict the sale of arms and military equipment to Cambodia. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the United States for its decision to ban the sale of arms and military equipment to Cambodia today, reflecting the legitimacy of my decision in 1994. When I was working [with them], I decided not to change the existing Cambodian weapons system to the weapons from the US. At the same time, I would like to issue an order to all armed units to immediately review the weapons and military equipment that Cambodia currently has and to collect all US military weapons and equipment, if any, to be stored or take it and destroy it accordingly.”
The Prime Minister has highlighted that those groups who were using American weapons have lost the war. He was referring to the Khmer Republic of Lon Nol who served as Prime Minister of Cambodia twice and who led the military coup of 1970 against Prince Norodom Sihanouk. Prime Minister Hun Sen says that Lon Nol imported a lot of weapons to Cambodia, making Cambodia indebted to the US up to this day.
The Prime Minister has added that more recently, the US weapon users have lost the war in Afghanistan.
He stresses, “I believe in the courage and fighting spirit and spirit of the fighters in defending Cambodia's territorial integrity, rather than on weapons alone. Once again, I thank the United States that helped confirm my decision was right. I do not agree to buy weapons from the United States is right for Cambodia's defense policy and it is a message of warning to the ruling Khmer. Let the next government know that if you want independence in the field of National Defense, please do not use any weapons from the United States.”
