FMs of Japan and Mekong countries to meet in Cambodia

By Rasmei Kampuchea

Fri, September 25, 2009

Asia News Network
(CAAI News media)

Ministers from Mekong countries and Japan will meet for the second time from October 2 to 3 in Siem Reap following the first meeting in Tokyo last year, according to Cambodian Foreign Ministry's press release.

Foreign ministers from Japan, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam are going to revise the progress of cooperation between the Mekong countries and Japan which started in 2007.

The press release of Cambodia's foreign ministry said that the second meeting will focus on the cooperation of the emerald triangle between three countries: Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. "At the same time, they will define the new cooperation in order to achieve the reduction policy and sustainable development", said the statement.

The meeting will be organized at a time when the Mekong River Commission countries (Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos) have built a lot of hydro power dams. In fact, the dam construction generates economic benefit, but environmentalists worry about the negative impact on the environment.