Sunday, 15 August 2010

Interview: Cambodia-China economic and trade relations very good: deputy PM

via Khmer NZ

Sunday, August 15, 2010

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 15, 2010 (Xinhua News Agency) -- Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An said that the economic and trade relations between Cambodia and China are very good, in an recent interview with Xinhua.

In an recent interview with Xinhua, Sok An said the economic and trade relations between the two countries, which started centuries ago, have been strengthened and expanded significantly in recent years, adding "If you go shopping in Cambodia, you will find many products labelled MADE IN CHINA, ranging from kitchenware to high-tech products such as telecom equipments."

China has been a significant foreign investor in Cambodia, he said, with thousands of Chinese companies, big and small, operating in sectors such as textiles and garment, hydroelectric power, agriculture and mining. China's investment, measured in fixed assets, increased to 930 million U.S. dollars in 2009 from 461 million U.S. dollars in 2007, and in the 1st semester of 2010, the investment is 234 million U.S. dollars.

Sok An, also the minister of the Council of Ministers, said that the trade between Cambodia and China has also substantially increased. The bilateral trade (imports plus exports) was about 138 million U.S. dollars in 1998, and it has increased to more than 946 million U.S. dollars in 2008, an increase of about sevenfold over the last ten years.

In terms of tourism sector, the minister said that Chinese tourist arrivals in Cambodia have ranked among the top 5 during the last 5 years. But it moved to the 3rd place after South Korea and Vietnam in the first half of 2010, with the number of tourists reaching 84,335.

The minister also commended Chinese government's decision to provide duty exemption for 418 items or tariff lines for Cambodian products to enter into Chinese markets, which he considered as an acceleration for more bilateral economic activities between the two countries.

Sok An said "These activities have undoubtedly contributed to the Royal Government's efforts to reduce poverty and to increase the living standard of the Cambodian people. The Chinese people have also benefited from this good economic relation and cooperation."

Talking about the future cooperation on trade and economy between the two countries, Sok An said that Cambodia needs more financial and technical support for further development of physical infrastructure such as irrigation system, roads and bridges, as well as for human resources development. "So, I firmly believe that China will consider this positively."

Cambodia also has great potential in several important sectors such as agriculture, agro-industry, infrastructure, labor- intensive industries, exports-oriented industries, exploration and exploitation of natural resources such as oil and gas, mining as well as tourism. "These sectors offer many investment opportunities," Sok An said.

Chinese investors are encouraged to explore these opportunities and other business potentials, he said.

Taiwanese volunteers set out for Cambodia

via Khmer NZ

08/15/2010

Thirteen Taiwanese university students have set out for Cambodia for charity work.

The students left Taiwan on Sunday morning. They are expected to meet with NGOs in Cambodia and visit four children's homes there. The students will interact with Cambodian children through art classes and games. The students will also bring the children food, toys and stationery.

One of the student volunteers is Liu Hsun-hsi. Liu's home was damaged by Typhoon Morakot which pounded southern Taiwan last year. Liu said she knows that while helping others, she also needs to be sensitive about how those who are helped feel.

The students are scheduled to return to Taiwan on August 26.

Suthep ready to talk with Cambodia


via Khmer NZ

Published: 15/08/2010

Deputy Prime Minister in charge of security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban said on Sunday he is ready to hold talks with the Cambodian government immediately once he receives the order from Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

"I ask all sides not to be too worried about the Thai-Cambodian border row and the interviews given by Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen. If there is a problem affecting Thailand, the Foreign Ministry and relevant agencies will deal with it right away," Mr Suthep said.

The deputy premier said the Foreign Ministry had additional information regarding the border issue to clarify.

Foreign Minister's secretary Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said Thailand and Cambodia both agreed to use satellite technology to settle the border demarcation dispute at the Special Meeting of the Cambodian-Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation of Land Boundary (JBC) on Nov 2008 and the JBC meetings in Bangkok and Phnom Penh earlier last year.

PM reaffirms temple dispute must be solved in line with international norms

http://www.mcot.net/

via Khmer NZ

BANGKOK, Aug 15 (TNA) -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reaffirmed Sunday that Thailand’s border dispute with Cambodia over the ancient Preah Vihear temple must be resolved in line with international norms and that Thailand is prepared to explain the problem on an international platform.

In his weekly address on television and radio, Mr Abhisit said the Cambodian government last week wrote to “important officials of the United Nations” saying that he had shown an attitude toward using violence in resolving the problem.

Mr Abhisit said he had also immediately sent a letter to the UN saying that his government has been using international practices or the world body’s principles in resolving the border dispute.

The prime minister explained in his letter that tensions on the Thai-Cambodian border arose because Cambodians have intruded into Thai territory and the Cambodian government had unilaterally applied for the World Heritage status for Preah Vihear temple, an action which led to difficulty regarding the management plan of the temple.

The International Court of Justice in 1962 ruled that the 11th century temple belongs to Cambodia, and UNESCO accorded it status as a World Heritage site in 2008 after Cambodia applied for the privilege.

The two countries have both claimed a 4.6 sq km area of land near the cliff-top temple and clashes have occurred in the area periodically after the temple was given World Heritage site status.

Mr Abhisit said Cambodia had violated the 2000 memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries as its people had “intruded into Thai territory”, and that last week he called for Cambodian citizens to leave the contested territory.

He said the 2000 agreement would be submitted to the Thai Parliament for discussion and that a special committee would be established so that all concerned parties could debate the issue.

The Thai government could implement resolution the crisis after Parliament given its approval, he added.

Cambodian media earlier reported UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to officially visit Cambodia on October 27-28 and the temple row is expected to be high on the agenda in his discussions with government leaders during the visit. (MCOT online news)

PM Abhisit: Cambodia intrudes first


via Khmer NZ

Published: 15/08/2010

Cambodia has violated the Thai-Cambodian memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 by encroaching on the Thai territory first, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said during his weekly broadcast on Sunday morning.

Mr Abhisit said the government had finished writing a letter explaining to the United Nations that Thailand did not threaten to use military force against Cambodia, as claimed by the Cambodian government.

"Thailand is committed to solve the border dispute peacefully under the 2000 MoU," the premier said.

Cambodian was the only side trying to list as a world heritage site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. The Thai government had been clarifying the situation to foreign countries to avoid misunderstanding, he said.

A committee had been set up to help oversee the issue, he added.

Cambodia asks ASEAN to mediate border dispute with Thailand

via Khmer NZ

August 15, 2010

The Cambodian government on Saturday asked the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to mediate Cambodia's border dispute with Thailand.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong on Saturday sent a letter to Pham Gia Khiem, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Vietnam, who is the current chair of ASEAN.

In his letter, Hor said "until now, Cambodia has exercised utmost restrain and attempted to find a peaceful solution to the problem bilaterally, but to no avail."

"As the current stalemate has extinguished any hope on further bilateral negotiations and in order to avoid any large scale armed conflict..., I earnestly seek Your Excellency's assistance, as chair of ASEAN, to mediate on the matter under the ASEAN framework either as a whole or on an individual basis involving only certain ASEAN members, in line with the Principles of the ASEAN Charter, Article 2 (c) and (d)," Hor said.

Cambodia and Thailand got into border conflict just one week after Cambodia got the Temple of Preah Vihear registered as World Heritage Site in July 2008. The Cambodia-Thai border has never been fully demarcated, and Thailand continues to stake territorial claims of the 4.6 square kilometer area in the vicinity of the Temple of Preah Vihear.

Hor Namhong reiterated that the Temple of Preah Vihear is situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia, citing the adjudication of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on June 15, 1962.

ASEAN groups 10 countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Source: Xinhua

Cambodia seeks help to avoid 'armed conflict' in Thai border spat

http://www.asiaone.com/

via Khmer NZ

Sat, Aug 14, 2010
AFP

PHNOM PENH - Cambodia's foreign minister on Saturday sought regional help in resolving a border dispute with Thailand in order "to avoid any large scale armed conflict".

In a letter to his Vietnamese counterpart and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Hor Namhong said the two countries would not be able to reach a deal without outside support.

"As the current stalemate has extinguished any hope of further bilateral negotiations and in order to avoid any large scale armed conflict... I earnestly seek assistance," he said in the letter.

The two countries have stepped up a war of words over the spat recently, with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen warning it could lead to fresh bloodshed.

Meanwhile Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva Tuesday called for Cambodian citizens to leave the contested territory.

The neighbouring nations have been locked in a troop standoff at their disputed border since July 2008, when the ancient Preah Vihear temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand. The exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute, with occasional gunfights claiming several lives.

Troops from both countries exchanged fire briefly on their border in June, the latest in a series of clashes between the neighbours.

The Thai-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Iranian, Cambodian Officials Discuss Expansion of Economic Cooperation

http://english.farsnews.com/

via Khmer NZ

2010-08-15

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Commerce Minister Mehdi Qazanfari and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong in a meeting in Tehran conferred on ways to develop economic cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, Qazanfari voiced Iran's readiness for effective cooperation in different sections of agriculture, industry, oil and petrochemical as well as export of technical services.

Stressing the need for drawing up a roadmap for long-standing ties and determining the areas of cooperation, he also called for optimal use of capacities for promotion of bilateral relations.

"Although the level of exchanges between the two countries is low, it can be increased by holding a seminar on commercial opportunities and making the private sectors acquainted with the existing capacities," he said.

Qazanfari also proposed organizing joint meetings to review the economic and commercial capacities in different fields.

Referring to Cambodia's membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he also said that it can play a crucial role in deepening commercial ties between Iran and other members of the union.

Namhong, for his part, said that there are many areas of investment for Iran in his country. Tourism is one of the main fields.

He also invited Qazanfari to visit his country in a bid to promote bilateral ties.

He further noted that Iran can meet some of his country's import needs.

Cambodia is a country in Southeast Asia that borders Thailand to the west and northwest, Laos to the north, Vietnam to the east, and the Gulf of Thailand to the south.

Phnom Penh is its capital and largest city, and is the center of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities.

Cambodia has an area of 181,035 square kilometers and a population of 25 million.

Cambodia asks Vietnam to mediate border dispute with Thailand+

via Khmer NZ

Aug 14 2010

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 14 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Cambodia on Saturday stepped up its diplomatic campaign over a festering border dispute with Thailand, urging Vietnam to help break the stalemate and avoid a "large-scale armed conflict" between the two neighboring countries.

Cambodia's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Hor Namhong, sought Vietnam's mediation in a letter to his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Gia Khiem.

Vietnam is the current chairman of ASEAN, the regional group whose membership includes both Cambodia and Thailand.

Hor Namhong urged Vietnam to mediate in the border dispute "as the current stalemate has extinguished any hope of further bilateral negotiations and in order to avoid any large scale armed conflict" with Thailand.

On Thursday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said he wants U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to help solve the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand when the U.N. chief visits the region later this year.

Thailand claims a 4.6 square-kilometer area of land around Preah Vihear, an ancient Hindu temple that lies inside Cambodia according to a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice.

Since the temple was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2008, Thai and Cambodian troops have faced off in the area and deadly skirmishes have erupted on several occasions.

Tension was renewed after Cambodia recently submitted a management plan for the temple that Thailand rejected on the grounds that the border area has not been demarcated.

Iran, Cambodia to set up joint economic commission

via Khmer NZ

August 15, 2010
Tehran Times Economic Desk

TEHRAN -– Tehran and Phnom Penh agreed to establish a joint economic commission.

During the meeting held between the Iranian Commerce Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari and the Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, the two sides discussed possible ways to boost bilateral cooperation, IRNA reported on Saturday.

In this meeting Ghazanfari expressed Iran’s readiness to expand ties with Cambodia in different fields such as agriculture, industry, oil and petrochemical, exporting technical and engineering services and exchanging technical delegations.

The Iranian minister went on to note that Cambodia can play an important role in deepening Iran’s relations with ASEAN member countries.

Hor Namhong, for his part, also named tourism as one of the most important pivots in expansion of ties between the two countries.

The Cambodian FM also held a meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Tuesday.

The two countries’ trade value during the past Iranian calendar year (ended March 20, 2010) stood at $539,000.

Iran exported $120,000 worth of goods to Cambodia during the first three months of current Iranian calendar year (ended June 21), while importing $66,000 worth of goods from the Southeast Asian nation

Cambodia's declining fish stocks



via Khmer NZ

AlJazeeraEnglish

August 12, 2010

For generations, Cambodia's largest lake has been not just a source of livelihoood for families living on its shores, but an important food source for the rest of the country.
But now, fishermen are worried about declining stocks, brought on by a range of man-made decisions.

Al Jazeera's Harry Fawcett reports from the Tonle Sap lake in Cambodia.

Cambodia asks ASEAN to mediate border dispute with Thailand

via Khmer NZ

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) - The Cambodian government on Saturday asked the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to mediate Cambodia's border dispute with Thailand.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong on Saturday sent a letter to Pham Gia Khiem, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Vietnam, who is the current chair of ASEAN.

In his letter, Hor said "until now, Cambodia has exercised utmost restrain and attempted to find a peaceful solution to the problem bilaterally, but to no avail."

"As the current stalemate has extinguished any hope on further bilateral negotiations and in order to avoid any large scale armed conflict..., I earnestly seek Your Excellency's assistance, as chair of ASEAN, to mediate on the matter under the ASEAN framework either as a whole or on an individual basis involving only certain ASEAN members, in line with the Principles of the ASEAN Charter, Article 2 (c) and (d)," Hor said.

Cambodia and Thailand got into border conflict just one week after Cambodia got the Temple of Preah Vihear registered as World Heritage Site in July 2008. The Cambodia-Thai border has never been fully demarcated, and Thailand continues to stake territorial claims of the 4.6 square kilometer area in the vicinity of the Temple of Preah Vihear.

Hor Namhong reiterated that the Temple of Preah Vihear is situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia, citing the adjudication of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on June 15, 1962.

ASEAN groups 10 countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Cambodia seeks help to avoid armed conflict in border spat

via Khmer NZ

14 August 2010

PHNOM PENH - Cambodia's foreign minister on Saturday sought regional help in resolving a border dispute with Thailand in order "to avoid any large scale armed conflict".

In a letter to his Vietnamese counterpart and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Hor Namhong said the two countries would not be able to reach a deal without outside support.

Cambodian soldiers stand guard on the eagle terrace near the Preah Vihear temple

"As the current stalemate has extinguished any hope of further bilateral negotiations and in order to avoid any large scale armed conflict... I earnestly seek assistance," he said in the letter.

The two countries have stepped up a war of words over the spat recently, with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen warning it could lead to fresh bloodshed.

Meanwhile Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva Tuesday called for Cambodian citizens to leave the contested territory.

The neighbouring nations have been locked in a troop standoff at their disputed border since July 2008, when the ancient Preah Vihear temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand. The exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute, with occasional gunfights claiming several lives.

Troops from both countries exchanged fire briefly on their border in June, the latest in a series of clashes between the neighbours.

The Thai-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Suthep: No order 'yet' from PM to discuss temple row with Cambodia

http://www.mcot.net/

via Khmer NZ

BANGKOK, Aug 14 -- Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said Saturday that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has not yet ordered him to Cambodia to discuss ending the two countries’ disagreement regarding the ancient Preah Vihear.

Mr Suthep said he still had no details of the planned visited of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to Cambodia during which the UN chief is expected to discuss the temple issue with Cambodian government leaders.

A report by the Associated Press from Phnom Penh on Thursday said that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will raise the temple issue with Mr Ban during his official visit to Cambodia October 27-28.

Mr Hun Sen on Monday proposed an international conference to discuss the dispute “because the bilateral discussion is at an impasse now.”

The Thai government, however, opposes the idea as unnecessary because the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the two governments, provides a sufficient framework for a solution.

Urging the Thai public to not pay much attention to Mr Hun Sen’s criticism of the Thai government, Mr Suthep said both countries are close neighbours and the Cambodian government could “say anything as long as it neither hurts Thai sovereignty nor its image”.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the 11th century temple belongs to Cambodia, and UNESCO named it a World Heritage site in 2008 after Cambodia applied for the status.

The latest problem arose when Thailand objected to Phnom Penh's submitting a management plan for the temple late last month to UNESCO’s World Heritage Commission (WHC). The agency decided on July 29 to defer the decision until it meets next year.

The two countries have been locked in a dispute over a 4.6 sq km patch of land near the cliff-top temple. (MCOT online news)

Cambodia seeks mediation


In a letter to his Vietnamese counterpart and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Mr Hor Namhong (above) said the two countries would not be able to reach a deal without outside support. -- PHOTO: AP

via Khmer NZ

Aug 14, 2010

PHNOM PENH- CAMBODIA'S foreign minister on Saturday sought regional help in resolving a border dispute with Thailand in order 'to avoid any large scale armed conflict'.

In a letter to his Vietnamese counterpart and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Mr Hor Namhong said the two countries would not be able to reach a deal without outside support.

'As the current stalemate has extinguished any hope of further bilateral negotiations and in order to avoid any large scale armed conflict... I earnestly seek assistance,' he said in the letter.

The two countries have stepped up a war of words over the spat recently, with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen warning it could lead to fresh bloodshed. Meanwhile Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva Tuesday called for Cambodian citizens to leave the contested territory.

The neighbouring nations have been locked in a troop standoff at their disputed border since July 2008, when the ancient Preah Vihear temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status. The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand. The Thai-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Troops from both countries exchanged fire briefly on their border in June, the latest in a series of clashes between the neighbours. -- AFP