Two Thousand Thirteen has been an eventful year for the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace (CICP). We have been able to conduct a few interesting public lectures on topic relevant to the region and to Cambodia, such as: the US Pivot to the Asia Pacific and the Implication on Cambodia, Myanmar’s “Pivot” Toward the Shibboleth of “Democracy”, India’s Enduring Presence in Indochina, Yingluck Shinawatra and Thai Foreign Policy: Opportunities and Challenges by distinguished personalities and scholars. We organized a book launch on “Preah Vihear: A Guide to the Thai-Cambodian Conflict and Its Solution” and a Regional Conference on “ASEAN and the South China Sea: Achievements, Challenges, and Future Direction”. Furthermore, our research fellows have written many interesting articles and essays concerning matters that challenge the development of Cambodia.

This publication is a collection of selected papers and articles that CICP would like to disseminate to broader audience, stimulate wider debates and raise more awareness on the emerging trends and concerns that, if unattended, could destabilize peace, stability and prosperity of Cambodia and the region.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank, first, our contributors for giving CICP the authorization to publish their articles for the benefit of sharing their views on regional and national issues. Our sincere appreciation also goes to Dr. Wilhelm Hofmeister, Director, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Regional Programme Political Dialogue with Asia, for his generous financial support for making this publication possible and available for the general public.

Looking ahead for the year of 2014, CICP plans to compile and publish more articles and research papers on current and emerging issues that concern not only Cambodia and the region but also the world at large.

Ambassador Pou Sothiak
Executive Director
Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace