PM again refutes UK report purporting instability of Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has once again dismissed a UK report claiming that the kingdom is among the top five countries at high risk of political instability amid the current global economic climate, the official Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP) said on Tuesday.

With its report, British think tank the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) possibly aimed to interrupt the foreign investment in Cambodia, the AKP quoted the premier as telling the 5th Asia Economic Forum here on Monday.

Fortunately, all the projects in Cambodia were now going ahead, and didn't retreat, he added.

The premier also revealed that the EIU had invited him to visit England in September and he still hesitated whether to accept it or not.

The recently issued EIU report classified the risk of social upheaval and political unrest as high or very high in 95 countries, as a result of the current global financial crisis. Cambodia was ranked fourth in terms of such threat.

In late March, Hun Sen had already rejected the report, saying that "we have political stability and live in peace now."

"We know that their assessment had other purposes inside," he added.