The Spokesperson of the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation this evening issued a statement rejecting the Radio Free Asia (RFA)'s purposely provided false information on the European Commission's report on EBA assessment.
The full statement reads as follows:
"In accordance with its procedures, the European Commission has submitted on 12 November 2019 to the Royal Government of Cambodia its preliminary Report of Findings with regards to its assessment on the EBA trade preferences according to which the Government of Cambodia is invited to provide its comments within one month. Concerned ministries and institutions will undertake a full review of the report and will submit by the set timeframe an appropriate response that will reflect updates of recent development in the areas of concerns of the European Commission. It is expected that the European Commission will make a decision by February 2020 whether or not the trade preferences will be withdrawn.
As per diplomatic practices and the requirements of the European Commission, the report is treated as a confidential document. The Royal Government of Cambodia regrets and deplores the fact that RFA has purposely provided false information with the intent to deceive the public about the European Commission's report. Its reference to the terms and paragraphs presented as quotations that were supposedly taken from the said report were not accurate.
Such false information creates unnecessary worries among the hundreds of thousands of workers involved, misleads the public and tarnishes the reputation of government officials whom RFA claimed to have leaked the document. Once again, RFA's action provides proof that it is not a credible source of information, but simply a propaganda station at the service of a political faction."
Source: Agency Kampuchea Press