Cambodia Pursues UNCLOS for Dispute Resolution, Opting for Law and Dialogue

AKP Phnom Penh, September 10, 2026 -- Cambodia has reaffirmed its commitment to resolving disputes through international law, dialogue and peaceful means, stressing that its decision to invoke the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) represents a choice of law over force and negotiation over confrontation, Minister of Information H.E. Neth Pheaktra clarified this afternoon. In a statement on the mandatory conciliation process under UNCLOS, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation underscored a clear message: when disputes arise, Cambodia chooses the law, chooses negotiation and chooses peace, he mentioned. H.E. Neth Pheaktra said bringing a dispute within the framework of UNCLOS does not mean creating a new conflict. Rather, it is the use of a mechanism established under international law for States Parties to seek solutions when conventional negotiations reach an impasse. The use of legal mechanisms should therefore not be viewed as an act of confrontation, but as an alternative to confrontation, according to the statement. Cambodia has also affirmed that it is engaging in the process in a constructive spirit, in good faith and with respect for international law, H.E. Neth Pheaktra said. This demonstrates that Cambodia is not seeking to escalate tensions, but is pursuing a solution based on legal principles that is predictable and capable of being reached through peaceful means. The key question, therefore, is not why Cambodia is using UNCLOS, but why a peaceful mechanism accepted by both parties through their participation in the Convention should not be used to seek a resolution to a dispute, he underlined. International law has meaning only when States respect it both when it is convenient and when it requires them to engage in difficult negotiations. Principles cannot be accepted when they serve one's interests and rejected when they do not conform to one's position, he added. Cambodia has made its approach clear: it will not seek to resolve disputes through the use of force or unilateral creation of facts on the ground, but through diplomacy, negotiation and international law. “The choice of UNCLOS is a choice for peace. The choice of conciliation is a choice for dialogue rather than confrontation. And choosing law over force is a principle that all States should be able to support,” he emphasised. “Cambodia is not seeking victory through force. It is seeking a solution through law.” By Heng Panha