Ouch Borith, first vice president of Cambodia's Senate, chairman of its Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie (APF) group and an APF vice president, attended the APF Executive Committee meeting at Montenegro's parliament on January 30–31, 2026. APF President Hilarion ETONG chaired the meeting.
In his address, he expressed grave concern over the deteriorating Cambodia–Thailand border situation, saying international conflict-prevention principles and legal instruments had not been fully respected or effectively implemented.
He said cooperation and consultation mechanisms, including the General Border Committee (GBC), Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) and memoranda of understanding, had not been fully implemented in procedures concerning sensitive border issues.
He said incidents remained frequent and the risk of escalation high, attributing this to Thailand's non-compliance with existing legal instruments and attempts to change the status quo unilaterally.
He also raised the impact on civilians and cultural heritage, including the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Preah Vihear Temple, describing the harm as a loss both to the nation and to humanity's shared heritage. He appealed to the APF to support peace, stability and a peaceful settlement respecting international law, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
By: Nget Pisant
