MANILA, Philippines – Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del
Rosario on Wednesday confirmed that a female ambassador of a high rank in the
Cambodian foreign ministry is set to replace former Cambodian Ambassador to Manila
Hos Sereythonh.
“She’s a lady who is quite high
up in the ministry. I think that she holds an assistant Secretary Rank now;
that’s the information I have,” Del Rosario said in an interview with
reporters.
Cambodia recalled Hos following
his remarks accusing the Philippines and Vietnam of “dirty politics” in pushing
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations members for a common stand on the
West Philippine Sea dispute.
In a strongly worded letter
published in a national daily, Hos accused the Philippines and Vietnam of
stalling last month’s talks among Asean foreign ministers in Phnom Penh by
pushing an “inflexible and non-negotiable” position on territorial disputes
with China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
The letter was in response to an
article written by Foreign Undersecretary
for Policy Erlinda Basilio—“What happened in Phnom Penh”— which sought
to shed light on Asean’s failure to issue a joint communiqué on the Spratlys
debate after last month’s Asean ministerial meeting in Phnom Penh. The absence
of a joint communiqué was unprecedented in Asean’s 45-year history.
The DFA had consistently summoned
Hos to explain his remarks but Hos never heeded the call, saying he was sick.
In an interview, Del Rosario said
that Hos was scheduled to leave on August 17.
Raul Hernandez, in a separate
statement last Friday, said that Cambodia had requested the facilitation of
Manila’s acceptance of a new envoy. Both Hernandez and Del Rosario said that
the recall did not affect bilateral relations between the two countries.
“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 agreement
attests to the continued commitment to strengthen relations,” Hernandez said in
the statement.
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