Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on November 12 that the Royal Government of Cambodia has made great strides in many fronts, especially in implementing its "triangular strategy" since the coalition government was formed last November.

Hun Sen made the remarks during an interview on Thursday with a Xinhua Press Group, headed by Zhang Guoliang, chief editor of the Hong Kong Branch of Xinhua News Agency.

"What we have achieved in nearly one year includes mobilizing every active factor to consolidate our country's peace and unity," he said.

"We have formed a new coalition government, and for the first time in Cambodia's history we have no civil war and won the true peace and stability. We are the country without a separatist regime and anti-government forces," Hun Sun added.

"We love our peace and stability just like cherishing our eyes with loving care," Hun Sen stressed, adding that those countries which had suffered from foreign aggression, colonization or enslavement highly treasure the independence, sovereignty and peace they have achieved.

"To quicken our steps to integrate ourselves into the international community is another achievement of our triangular strategy," Hun Sen said.

Cambodia has regained its U.N. seat and has finally become a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Aid relations with donor countries and international financial organization, such as the IMF, are moving back towards normalcy. "So we can be proud to say that the royal government has won everything we had lost. We have achieved the desired results," the prime minister said.

"The third strategy, or its achievement," said Hun Sen, "is to take advantage of active factors, both internal and external, and concentrate every force on developing the economy and eliminating poverty."

As an "economic government" named by Hun Sen, the royal government has also scored some exciting achievements in other fields over the past year.

Having implemented reform programs and maintained the macroeconomics stability, "we are confident that the Cambodian economy has rebounded and real GDP growth would be at least four percent as forecast. Inflation will be controlled within six percent, while the exchange rate is fairly stable," he said.

The economic growth has also changed the structure of Cambodia's tax revenue. During the course of the year, the total domestic tax revenue has increased to account for 55 percent of the nation's total tax revenue, compared with 44 percent in 1996.

"We will make further efforts to reduce the customs tariffs to make preparations for joining ASEAN's Free Trade Area," Hun Sen said.

On the recent drop in foreign investment, the prime minister explained that it was affected by Asia's financial crisis. He expressed his belief that with the recovery of the region's economy, foreign investment in Cambodia will be growing steadily.

The Royal Government of Cambodia has also achieved encouraging achievements in demobilization, civil service and judicial system reforms and crackdowns on such corrupt acts as large-scale illegal logging and illegal possession of state-owned lands, the prime minister said.

"The total economic situation in Cambodia is not very good nor very bad. We should continue our reform process," he said.