Hun Sen and Tony Abbott affirm deal

Prime Minister Hun Sen and Australian PM Tony Abbott agreed at the ASEAN summit in Myanmar this week to forge ahead with a controversial refugee resettlement agreement, despite protests in both countries.

“The important [point] was that they agreed to implement the agreement on sending refugees to Cambodia based on a voluntary policy,” said a minister attached to the prime minister’s office, Kao Kim Hourn, late on Thursday night as the PM returned from Myanmar. The premiers have invited each other to make official visits to their countries.

The arrangement was inked in September and Cambodia will receive $35 million in extra aid over four years in exchange for resettling an unspecified number of refugees.

Contact author: Chhay Channyda

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