Thursday, 9 December 2010

AKP - Agent Kampuchea Press

via CAAI

AKP/01

Cambodia Rejects Thai ASTV Manger Online’s Assertion

Phnom Penh, December 8, 2010 AKP -- The Royal Government of Cambodia has in a clarification rejected the ASTV Manager Online’s assertion against Cambodian leaders, calling it a false accusation.

The full clarification dated Dec. 7 reads as follows:

“The Office of the Spokesperson of the Press and Quick Reaction Unit (PRU) of the Office of the Council of Ministers (OCM) of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) categorically rejected the assertion by ASTV Manager Online on 3 December 2010 at 22:23 PM saying that:

‘At this moment the Government of Mr. Hun Sen is pushing down with all its might a grand scheme in order to snatch away the Temple of Preah Vihear and the areas in its vicinity to make its own’.

This is purely a false accusation and fabrication by ASTV Manager Online which has been known to be the mouthpiece of the PAD core-leader Sondhi Limthongkul, a communication tycoon who owns ASTV station.

In fact, it is publicly well known that the Temple of Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia and currently we are waiting for the Cambodian-Thai Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) to work on the demarcation of land boundary on the sites.

This is not the first time that Sondhi Limthongkul spoke ill about Cambodia and the Cambodian leaders, either with slanderous attacks, or fabrication of false news in order to mislead the national and international public, or baseless accusations. On many occasions, the Spokesperson of the PRU had protested against Sondhi Limthongkul who had time and again conducted a hatred campaign against the people of Cambodia and the Cambodian leaders, igniting and inflaming the enmity between Cambodians and Thais. He has proven that he is becoming a raving lunatic whose mission is to destroy good and friendly relations between the people of Thailand and the people of Cambodia.

In the same vein, the Spokesperson of the Press and Quick Reaction Unit rejected the ASTV Manager Online’s assertion that “His Excellency Dr. Sok An Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers has come out and claimed victory over Thailand sovereignty because Cambodia can force Thailand to cut down Thai military troops at the Keo Sikkha Kiri Svara pagoda, and in so doing this means that Thailand has recognized that the pagoda and the areas in the vicinity of the Temple of Preah Vihear belong to Cambodia”.

As a matter of fact, during the visit of ICAPP leaders at the Temple of Preah Vihear on 5 December, 2010, H.E. Dr. Sok An did not touch even one word about the military issue. On the contrary, he did tell the foreign guests, firstly about the history of the construction of this Temple of Preah Vihear; secondly about the decision of the International Court of Justice’s three-point Judgment on 15 June 1962. Thirdly, H.E. Dr. Sok An also informed the foreign delegates about the correct decision of World Heritage Committee to unanimously inscribe the Temple of Preah Vihear on 7 July 2008, in Quebec City Canada on the World Heritage List under Criterion (I) that is Preah Vihear is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture with an outstanding universal value. And finally, he also briefed the delegations about the tireless efforts of the Royal Government of Cambodia to protect, preserve and develop the Preah Vihear area.

The Spokesperson of the PRU is under the obligation to bring to the attention of the national and international public that Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia has once again proven to be a peace maker, this time, to bring peace in the border areas between Cambodia and Thailand. Samdech Hun Sen was proud to announce on 6 December 2010 during a graduation ceremony at the National Institute of Education that ‘the situation has eased and returned to what it was like before July 15, 2008.’” --AKP

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AKP/02

Senate Opens Workshop on Access to Information

Phnom Penh, December 8, 2010 AKP -- Cambodian Senate opened here yesterday a workshop on “Access to Information and the Cambodian Parliament” supported by the British Embassy to Cambodia.

Addressing the workshop, H.E. Tep Ngorn, second vice president of Senate, said access to information is very important in the democratic society and the Constitution of Cambodia also recognizes this right.

He added that access to information is the key foundation in promoting the respect of human rights, transparency, and accountability; the reduction of corruption together with the public’s participation in the development of the country.

“Access to information in Cambodia is in progress, but there are still some challenges,” he said. --AKP

By KHAN Sophirom

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AKP/03

DPM Men Sam An Receives Lao Delegation

Phnom Penh, December 8, 2010 AKP -- Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Mrs. Men Sam An met here on Dec. 7 with a visiting Lao delegation of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare led by its Minister Mrs. Onechanh Thammavong.

During the meeting, the Lao minister expressed her condolences to the Cambodian victims of the recent stampede tragedy and highly valued the Royal Government of Cambodia’s endeavors in developing the country.

Mrs. Onechanh Thammavong further told the Cambodian deputy prime minister of her visit to Cambodia this time, the purpose of which she said is to promote the cooperation between the two Labor Ministries, especially in human resource development.

For her part, Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An thanked the Lao government and people for their assistance to Cambodia. She also praised the Lao government for its leadership, and she strongly believed that through this visit, the cooperation in all spheres between Cambodia and Laos will be further strengthened and consolidated. --AKP

By CHEA Vannak

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AKP/04

Fifth One Province One Product Exhibition To Be Held at Koh Pich Next Week

Phnom Penh, December 8, 2010 AKP -- The Fifth Cambodia Import-Export & One Province One Product Exhibition is scheduled to be held here from Dec. 15 to 18 at Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center (Koh Pich).

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance H.E. Keat Chhon, high representative of Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen will preside over the opening ceremony on Dec. 15.

The four-day exhibition is aimed to promote trade and investment activities in Cambodia, particularly to increase the export, which contributes to the country’s economic development.

Four other events will be also held along with the exhibition – Business and Investment Forum, Workshop on Trade Promotion, Trade Meeting and Signing Ceremony of business and investment contracts. --AKP

By Théng

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AKP/05

Cambodia Holds Meeting on Reintegration of Victims of Human Trafficking

Phnom Penh, December 8, 2010 AKP -- Cambodia opened a two-day meeting on Tuesday to discuss on reintegration of victims of human trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region.

Chinese News Agency Xinhua quoted a statement released Tuesday at the meeting by World Vision Cambodia (WVC) and the United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking (UNIAP), as saying “The successful reintegration of victims of human trafficking into society is a critical issue in victim protection work.”

The meeting held in Phnom Penh is aimed at creating national dialogue to better understand the needs of victims of trafficking for their effective reintegration into society.

Many government agencies, international and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community groups have worked on the issue of victim reintegration in Cambodia for over a decade.

Recognizing that now is an appropriate time to assess the effectiveness of reintegration assistance that has been provided by to date, these organizations have come together at this week’s forum to review and document reintegration services currently being provided to victims of trafficking upon voluntary return; and to prioritize practical challenges and issues involved in effective voluntary return and reintegration.

The forum will review the application of minimum standards and guidelines in integration and gather lessons learnt from different stakeholders in their application in both formal and informal policies and procedures.

The meeting will help to fill the existing gaps in terms of victim identification, protection, recovery and reintegration assistance under the current regional plan of the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking (COMMIT).

COMMIT comprises six countries in the Mekong Sub-region: Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam.

The National Practitioner Forums seek to provide a platform for practitioners in the frontlines working directly with victims of trafficking to reflect and share their experiences on providing reintegration assistance.

A regional report combining the outcomes of the national forums will be prepared for submission to COMMIT Task Force members in January 2011. --AKP

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AKP/06

First International Conference on Buddhism Heritage in Southeast Asia Ends

Phnom Penh, December 8, 2010 AKP -- The First International Conference on Buddhism Heritage in Southeast Asia was wrapped up here on Dec. 4 under the presidency of Dr. Khlot Thyda, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

The two-day conference is very important in contribution to preserve the original Buddhism in this globalization era, said Dr. Khlot Thyda.

The conference supported by the Embassy of India in Cambodia was attended by 19 speakers from Cambodia, India, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. They shared their experiences about the history, the spread and the roles of Buddhism in society; the influence of Buddhism on arts and culture; Buddhism’s contribution in development and political relations; and the relations between Buddhism and modern society in Asia. --AKP

By LIM Nary

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AKP/07

200,000 Tones of Rice To Be Exported from Cambodia to China

Phnom Penh, December 8, 2010 AKP -- COFCO FEED Co., Ltd. of China has decided to export 200,000 tonnes of rice in the first step from Cambodia to China’s market.

The company made a decision to buy the Cambodian rice after Ms. Yang Hong, vice chairman of COFCO FEED Co., Ltd. of China, accompanied by H.E. Sun Kunthor, general director of Rural Development Bank and H.E. Sok Siphana, an advisor to the Cambodian Royal Government, along with a delegation of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, paid a recent visit to the rice processing plant of Baitang (Green) Company in Battambang province.

Her visit is to conduct a survey on the potential in agriculture field in Cambodia such as rice crops, cassavas and sugar canes to create a possibility of making an investment in Cambodia and buying agricultural produce from Cambodia to China, she said.

Up to November this year, 28,000 tonnes of rice have been exported by Baitang Company to Australia, France, Germany, Spanish, Italy and Singapore, according to Phour Pu, president of Baitang Company and president of Battambang Rice Miller’s Association.

Besides importing rice from Cambodia, China is also the main rice importer from Thailand and Vietnam. --AKP

By THOU Peou

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