As of today, Mr. Hun Sen is determined to have the elections conducted on July 29, 2018. He repeated it the day before yesterday and today because he is negotiating, actually, with the international community. It is his tactic. He is a great negotiator.
However, what the international community, including Canada, needs to say to Mr. Hun Sen is “We are together, 45 countries; you may have China, but we stand with the people of Cambodia for democracy.” If he wants to go ahead with the election on July 29, 2018, he will go ahead, but the 45 countries and beyond should say to Mr. Hun Sen, right now, that the next government run by Mr. Hun Sen—if he wins without the opposition CNRP taking part in the next election—born from that kind of election will not be recognized.
We do not want an illegal government. We want a legal government. We want democracy, and we want to go back so that we can put Cambodia back on track. We have no more time to lose.
If Mr. Hun Sen continues to take Cambodia down the road to more deterioration of human rights, then at the end of the day, the people of Cambodia will lose. The people have suffered enough, and they want change, and that's what the international community needs to say to Mr. Hun Sen. You stand with the people of Cambodia who want to have change, but through free and fair elections, without violence.