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NA Vice President Backs Home

Phnom Penh, February 7, 2011 AKP – A high-level delegation of the National Assembly of Cambodia headed by its Vice-President H.E. Nguon Nhel returned home on Feb. 5, after attending the Inter-Parliamentary Conference on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CIDEC) held from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3 in Quebec, Canada.

The conference was attended by 250 participants from 29 countries across the world.

The conference was aimed to review the last five-year results and also urged the French-speaking countries not to discriminate, but to respect the diversity of cultures. –AKP

By LIM Nary

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Japanese Aid to Boost Scientific Education in Cambodia

Phnom Penh, February 7, 2011 AKP – The Government of Japan donated an amount of US$255,654 to promote Cambodia’s education sector.

The grant contracts were signed here last Friday between Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Kuroki Masafumi and the representatives of the recipient organizations.

According to the Japanese ambassador, the financial assistance was given through Japan’s economic cooperation framework, the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (“KUSANONE” Grant).

The assistance focuses on the construction of science laboratories at Siem Reap Provincial Teacher Training College and at Battambang Provincial Teacher Training Center, and of a school building at Koh Krasaing primary school in Bakan district of Pursat province.

“The construction of the scientific laboratory facilities plays a vital role to enrich scientific understanding of some 1,000 teachers-to-be at the two pedagogy and teacher training centers who will be transferring the acquired knowledge to approximately 400,000 Cambodian students in the future. As for the school building construction, it will contribute more learning access for Cambodian students,” added H.E. Masafumi Kuroki.

Siem Reap Provincial Teacher Training College Director Leav Ora said that the assistance is very meaningful in terms of advancing the quality and effectiveness of scientific teaching and learning, thus improving Cambodian human resource.

The financial assistance makes the Government of Japan’s development aid to Cambodia from 1992 to 2009 increase to US$1.8 billion. –AKP

By MOM Chan Dara Soleil

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Irrigation Construction Work in Chhlong District Is Nearing Completion

Phnom Penh, February 7, 2011 AKP – The work of the irrigation construction in Chhlong district, Kratie province, with a total cost of around US$3.6 million funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is nearing completion this year, according to a provincial agriculture official.

When completed, the irrigation project is able to provide water in the first phase on a cultivated area of over 7,000 hectares.

The project will help the local farmers promote rice production and food crop in dry season.

Other irrigation construction sub-project in the district has achieved 95 percent, he said.

Farmers in Kratie province try hard in planting rice in dry season this year because of the higher price of rice in the market. –AKP

By THOU Peou

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Cambodia To Host International Hockey Competition Later This Month

Phnom Penh, February 7, 2011 AKP – Cambodia will host the 1st International Hockey Competition in Phnom Penh on Feb. 27.

H.E. Vath Chamroeun, secretary general of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), told reporters last week that five countries will join the event including Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Pakistan and Cambodia.

The competition is aimed to further consolidate and strengthen the ties of friendship between Cambodia and other countries, he added. –AKP

By Théng

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Cambodia Requests UNSC To Convene Urgent Meeting to Stop Thailand’s Aggression

Phnom Penh, February 7, 2011 AKP – Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, has addressed a letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Mrs. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, requesting her to convene an urgent meeting of the UNSC so as to stop Thailand’s aggression.

The following is the full letter dated Feb. 6:

“Excellency,

With reference my Foreign Minister’s letter dated 5 February 2011 to Your Excellency, I wish to draw your attention to the worsening of the situation at the border between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand as follows:

Once again, despite negotiation by the field commanders of both sides for a cease fire, on 6 February 2011, at 18:20, Thai armed forces launched a full scale armed aggression against Cambodia, using heavy sophisticated weapons including many 105, 120, 130 155 artillery shells which were fired into the TEMPLE OF PREAH VIHEAR, a World Heritage, the region of TASEM, VEAL INTRY and PHNOM TRAP hill and others. All these areas are well inside Cambodian territory. Thai artillery shells have landed as far as approximately 20 km inside Cambodian territory.

While I write this letter to Your Excellency, Thai armed forces still continue firing of heavy weapons into Cambodian territory.

This fresh onslaught by Thai armed forces has resulted in more human casualties and damages to the TEMPLE OF PREAH VIHEAR as well as other properties.

The repeated acts of aggression against Cambodia by Thailand violate the following legal instruments:

1. Articles 2.3, 2.4 and 94.1 of the United Nations’ Charter.

2. The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia, Article 2, in which Cambodia and Thailand are parties, provides for:

• Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity and national identity of all nations.

• Settlement of differences and disputes by peaceful means.

• Renunciation of the threat or use of force.

3. The Agreement Concerning the Sovereignty, Independence, Territorial Integrity and Inviolability, Neutrality and National Unity of Cambodia, Article 2.2.c, 2.2.d, of the Paris Peace Accord in 1991.

Considering this recent extremely grave aggressions by Thailand, which has gravely threatened peace and stability in the region, I earnestly request Your Excellency to convene an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council so as to stop Thailand’s aggression. I would also highly appreciate it if Your Excellency could circulate this letter to all members of the United Nations Security Council as an official document.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration and respect.”

–AKP

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Thai Army Shelled and Destroyed Part of Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Temple

Phnom Penh, February 7, 2011 AKP – Cambodia’s military told the Press and Quick Reaction Unit (PRU) of the Office of the Council of Ministers on Sunday that Thai army resumed heavy shelling on Cambodia’s troops around 6:40 p.m.

“A wing of our Preah Vihear Temple has collapsed as a direct result of the Thai artillery bombardment,” said a Cambodian military commander based near the 900-year-old Temple.

“The Thai army began shooting at us first, we are taking self-defense and retaliatory measures, now,” he said, stressing that the Thais had not honored the ceasefire of Saturday.

The commander also said that the Thai army also used gas shell as they fired 130 mm artillery rounds at Cambodian soldiers.

(Reporting by Press and Quick Reaction Unit of the Office of the Council of Ministers)

EK T. MADRA

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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Indonesian Foreign Minister To Pay Visit to Cambodia Soon

Phnom Penh, February 7, 2011 AKP – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. R.M. Marty M. Natalegawa, will pay a one-day visit to Cambodia soon, said a press release of the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued last Saturday.

During his stay in Phnom Penh, Dr. R.M. Natalegawa, as Chairman of ASEAN, will hold a bilateral talk with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation H.E. Hor Namhong, the press release indicated. –AKP