Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
At the outset, on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) and my own self, may I extend to you all, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, my sincere thanks for joining us on this day of 21 September, in celebrating the International Day of Peace, 21 September.
Today, 21st September 2004, it is an auspicious and memorable day that the Royal Government and People of Cambodia all over the country, especially those living in Capital City of Phnom Penh, gather here at Wat Phnom. This place represents a national heritage complex and historical site telling the history of the establishment of this capital city. For the Kingdom of Cambodia, this exotic recreational site deserves to be selected for celebrating the cultural and peace events such as this 2ndInternational Day of Peace, 21 September, together with all people around the world.
The organization of this event is happening while Cambodians is celebrating the positive outcomes of the 25th General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO) that Cambodia had the honor to host it. We consider this as a good opportunity for that international community could appropriately assess the progress in Cambodia, — despite the fact that the country has just gone through twist and turn situation and faced many difficulties. However, generally the Royal Government and People of Cambodia have overcome those challenges, for the causes of peace and security, stability and harmony. Especially, we can appreciate Cambodia as a country emerged from uncertain situation, entailed from prolonged civil war, instability and underdevelopment, and transformed into a country with full peace, security and social order, respect of democracy and human rights, including good cooperation and development.
Furthermore, today event is proceeding at the time when the Royal Government and People of Cambodia all over the country are preparing to celebrate the 11th Anniversary of Re-coronation of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanoukand Her Majesty Preah Reach Akka-Mohesey Norodom Monineath Sihanouk and also to celebrate the Constitution’s Day. All these occasions are happening in parallel with the RGC’s commitment to implement its “Rectangular Strategy” for Growth, Employment, Equity and Efficiency, aiming to achieve poverty reduction, progress, prosperity including harmony and happiness for every Cambodian people.
The Royal Government and People of Cambodia would like to sincerely and cordially thank all the ASEAN member countries that have provided Cambodia with great honor to organize the 25th AIPO General Assembly. Thus, it represents a new achievement for Cambodian people, under the leadership of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen of Cambodia.
From lessons and experiences in social-economic development, it indeed proves that all the countries in the world need cooperation in order to secure peace and democracy, as well as progress, harmony and coexistence. Those lessons and experiences are priceless for people of Cambodia. In fact, in this new millennium, the Royal Government and People of Cambodia together are working to enhance the principles of national development, closely linked to the regional and world development in the context of “Millennium for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence”
Cambodia has made tremendous efforts, as it went through enormous difficulties, constraints and challenges in order to rehabilitate and develop the country into a peaceful and stable state, after the destruction from the long-lasting wars, Khmer Rouge Regime and political instability. As one of the countries that used to suffer from the destruction as a result of many wars, people of Cambodia would like to express their honest and profound gratitude to the United Nation which initiated to declare the 21st September of each year to be an International Day of Peace. This also testifies the long lasting will and urge of the Royal Government and People of Cambodia.
In the past as well as at the present, as one of the members of the United Nation the RGC always tries its best to actively and properly fulfill its obligation in order to contribute to achieving the noble ideal of the United Nation, which is to preserve the world peace and social human development. In this regard, in order to contribute to implementing this spirit, the RGC has officially adopted that the International Day of Peace of 21st September, launching a new campaign to strengthen the ideal of peace in order to ease tension and other reason of clashes and to prevent violence and conflicts in the world.
I believe, from the past experiences and emerging constraints posed to the humans, the initiated date of 21st September for UN International Day of Peace has provided people in Cambodia and around the world with hope for brighter future that they will live in harmony as one happy family and for development of a human society.
At the same time, I would like to stress again that for the RGC the issues of searching peace and maintaining of peace and political stability are the ultimate and lasting objectives that we are always committed to and willing to scarify anything for peace for our people. I am convinced that peace for people have a very high price that need to be maintained together by tolerance to each other and with cautions in order for this peace to be lasting forever. To this end, the RGC will make every effort to attain peaceful mind in their everyday activities, which include gradual eliminating explosive ordinance, measures against terrorism, crimes, prevent and eliminate violence and other debauchery activities.
We are committed to sacrifice everything for the cause of peace and safety, for each individual in each family, as well as for each country and each society, thus ensuring peace for nations all over the world.
At the same time when the people of Cambodia together with those in many other countries around the world are celebrating International Day of Peace at this moment there are some countries are still under of flame of distractive war in which many people including women and children have died and injured. Terrorism is threatening the humankind and is a great concern for every government to solve through close cooperation in order to destroy these evil and cruel criminal networks. Once again Cambodia would like to extend our condolence for this tragedy which occurred at the school in Russian Federation with hundreds of children lives has been lost.
With our strong commitments and unrepentant implementation in both past and present time, the RG has created favorable climate and necessary and sufficient conditions, both domestically and internationally, for Cambodia to move forward with hope and strong believe with reform path and development.
Indeed, the RG and people of Cambodia with their unrepentant efforts, national solidarity and honest commitments have successfully implemented “Win-Win Policy” which makes Cambodia to have a full peace, security, social order, respect for democracy and human rights and human dignity as well as cooperation and development.
At the same time, after the General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization, our parliament will debate on the Khmer Rouge Tribunal law base on concrete position which are to trial Khmer Rouge through legal procedures and to ensure full peace, security and prosperity for people of Cambodia all over the country.
The RG and the people of Cambodia strongly believe that with the initiative in combination with national solidarity and strong commitments in fulfilling duties for the people and the governments of countries as the members of the United Nations in general and RGC in particular will successfully achieve its mission to strengthen peaceful ideal, to reduce tension, to stop violence and conflicts, to eliminate threatening weapons which are frightened to the human lives as well to maintain peace global stability on the path of development and prosperity.
On this occasion of peace observance, on behalf of RGC and people of Cambodia, I will forever remember the UN contribution to peace, and thank many other countries, international organizations, NGOs, and all development partners who have contributed to peace, and have been providing both spiritual and material support to the process of Cambodia’s rehabilitation.
In closing, may I wish you all the five gems of Buddhist blessings! May the spirit of the International Day of Peace remains in the heart of every mankind!
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