Was the CIA Director Recently in Phnom Penh?

Whether or not William Burns visited Cambodia, as former PM Hun Sen seemed to claim, U.S.-China competition has set off an intelligence race in Southeast Asia.

by David Hutt
June 12, 2024

CIA director William Burns attends a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, Monday, March 11, 2024, in Washington. Mark Schiefelbein photo

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SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

'If you do not know Hun Sen well, please do not mess with Hun Sen’
Former PM responds to journalist’s CIA claims

Khmer Times
June 13, 2024

Hun Sen, President of the Senate and former Prime Minister of Cambodia, has responded to an article in news outlet The Diplomat, entitled ‘Was the CIA Director Recently in Phnom Penh?‘.

Mr Hun’s response on social media, published early this morning, was aimed at David Hutt, who wrote the article.

In his response, the former PM stated:

‘If you do not know Hun Sen well, please do not mess with Hun Sen.

On June 12, 2024, David Hutt wrote in The Diplomat that CIA Director Bill Burns did not meet with Hun Sen, as I mentioned a few days ago that I had spoken to the CIA Director on June 2.

From what Hutt wrote, he thought I was mistaken. I should openly say that I worked with the CIA management since 1997.

The most important meetings were with Director of National Intelligence James Clapper at the Phnom Penh city residence in 2011, CIA Director David Petraeus at the Phnom Penh city residence in 2012, and CIA Director Bill Burns at the Takhmao city residence in 2024.

In the absence of a face-to-face meeting, I sent my representatives to meet the CIA leaders in Washington, including Mike Pompeo, who later became US Secretary of State under President Donald Trump administration.

Our main cooperation is against terrorism, not against any country.

Cambodia also has intelligence cooperation with other countries, as this is the normal course of a sovereign state. When you see calm water, do not think that there are no fish in the water. When Hun Sen does not speak, do not think that Hun Sen does not know how to speak.’