Hor Namhong

Template:Short description Template:Family name hatnote Template:Infobox officeholder Hor Namhong Template:Post-nominals Template:Post-nominals (Template:Langx, Template:Transliteration Template:IPA; born 15 November 1935)<ref name="jennar">Template:Cite book</ref> is a Cambodian diplomat who served in the government of Cambodia as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 1993<ref name="interchange">Template:Cite journal</ref> and again from 1998 to 2016.<ref name="severino">Template:Cite book</ref> He is a member of the Cambodian People's Party and has been a Deputy Prime Minister since 2004. He served as Cambodia's foreign minister for a combined tenure of 20 years.

Early life and education

Born at Phnom Penh, Hor Namhong was educated at the École royale d'administration (diplomatic section) in Cambodia.<ref name="jennar"/> He holds a Master of Law degree from the Faculty of Law in Paris<ref name="interchange"/> and a diploma from the European Institute of High International Studies in France.<ref name="jennar"/>

Early career

Between 1967 and 1973 Hor Namhong served at the Embassy of Cambodia in Paris, which became the mission of the exiled Royal Government of National Union of Kampuchea (GRUNK) in 1970.<ref name="cv"/> Between 1973 and 1975 he represented Cambodia as ambassador to Cuba.<ref name="interchange"/>

Boeng Trabek prison camp

Between 1975 and 1979 Hor Namhong claims to have been a prisoner of the Khmer Rouge at Boeng Trabek.<ref name="doyle">Template:Cite news</ref> There have been accusations that he collaborated with his captors but Hor Namhong denies the accusations and was successful in a defamation suit against his accusers.<ref name="doyle"/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> On April 27, 2011, Hor Namhong lost a defamation suit in the French Supreme Court in which he claimed he was innocent of atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 through 1979.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In July 2011 Namhong lodged a protest with United States officials regarding a leaked diplomatic cable. The undated cable claimed that Namhong "became head of the Beng Trabek (sic) camp and he and his wife collaborated in the killing of many prisoners."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Subsequent career

File:Hillary Rodham Clinton meets with Hor Namhong June 12, 2012.jpg

Namhong shaking hands with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., on 12 June 2012.

In 1980, following the fall of the Khmer Rouge, Hor Namhong joined the government as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.<ref name="cv"/> In 1982 he was appointed as ambassador to the Soviet Union, a post which he held until 1989.<ref name="interchange"/> In 1989 he returned to Cambodia as Minister of the Council of Ministers in charge of Foreign Affairs.<ref name="cv"/> In 1990 he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs<ref name="interchange"/> and in 1991 became a member of the Supreme National Council of Cambodia.<ref name="cv"/>

Between 1987 and 1991 Hor Namhong was one of the key negotiators in the peace talks to end the "Cambodia Conflict".<ref name="cv"/> In October 1991 he was a signatory of the Paris Peace Agreement.<ref name="cv"/>

In 1993 he returned to the diplomatic corps as ambassador to France.<ref name="cv"/> In 1998 he returned to government as a Member of the National Assembly and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.<ref name="cv"/> In 2004, in addition to his position as foreign minister, he was appointed a deputy prime minister.<ref name="cv"/>

He retired from his post as foreign minister on 4 April 2016 after 17 years in office, though remained as a deputy prime minister.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was the longest serving Cambodian foreign minister.

Personal life

Hor Namhong is married, having five children.<ref name="cv">Template:Cite web</ref> His eldest son, Hor Sothoun, is Permanent Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and his two other sons serve as ambassadors: Hor Nambora as Ambassador to the United Kingdom<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> and Hor Monirath as Ambassador to Japan (current Secretary of State of the Ministry of Tourism).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Awards

National

• File:KHM Ordre Royal du Cambodge - Grand Croix BAR.svg Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia<ref name="cv"/>
• File:KHM Royal Order of Monisaraphon - Grand Officer.png Grand Officer of the Royal Order of Monisaraphon<ref name="cv"/>

Foreign

• File:Ordre national du Merite GO ribbon.svg Grand Officer of the National Ordre du Mérite (France)<ref name="cv"/>
• File:Order of the White Elephant - 1st Class (Thailand) ribbon.svg Grand Cross of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant (Thailand)<ref name="cv"/>

References

Template:Reflist Template:S-start Template:S-off Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft |- Template:S-end Template:Authority control Template:Cabinet of Cambodia