Foreign Affairs secretary Alberto del Rosario. 蜜桃工作室 FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥揊oreign 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.
鈥淪he鈥檚 a lady who is quite high up in the ministry. I think that she holds an assistant Secretary Rank now; that鈥檚 the information I have,鈥� Del Rosario said in an interview with reporters.
Cambodia recalled Hos following his remarks accusing the Philippines and Vietnam of 鈥渄irty politics鈥� 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鈥檚 talks among Asean foreign ministers in Phnom Penh by pushing an 鈥渋nflexible and non-negotiable鈥� 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聽 for Policy Erlinda Basilio鈥斺�淲hat happened in Phnom Penh鈥濃�� which sought to shed light on Asean鈥檚 failure to issue a joint communiqu茅 on the Spratlys debate after last month鈥檚 Asean ministerial meeting in Phnom Penh. The absence of a joint communiqu茅 was unprecedented in Asean鈥檚 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鈥檚 acceptance of a new envoy. Both Hernandez and Del Rosario said that the recall did not affect bilateral relations between the two countries.
鈥淭he 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,鈥� Hernandez said in the statement.