US visa restricts Cambodian senior officials (Source: brecorder.com)
Visa restrictions are the
sovereign rights of the United States government, however, linking these
restrictions to the repatriation of Cambodian nationals is unreasonable, the
ministry said in a statement.
The US’s reason for discontinuing the granting of visas surprised Cambodia
since the country has not denied or unreasonably delayed its nationals deported
from the US entry to the country, said the statement.
Cambodia is still prepared to accept its nationals deported from the US and
will try to ensure that those Cambodians will successfully reintegrate into
society and begin their new lives with decency and dignity, it added.
Previously on September 13, the US stopped issuing some types of visa to
high-level Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs employees and their families.
It said the restrictions came after Cambodia refused to accept the return of
its nationals expelled from the US.
In April, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said Cambodia did not
cancel a deportation agreement with the United States, which was signed in
2012, but asked the US to amend the agreement to allow Cambodians convicted of
felonies to stay in the US after serving their prison sentence.
Under the current agreement, Cambodians who are permanent residents of the US
are deported if they are convicted of a felony.
Source: VNA
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