Saturday, 30 April 2011

AKP - The Agence Kampuchea Press


via CAAI

Thailand Renews Attacks on Cambodia Despite Ceasefire Agreement


Phnom Penh, April 29, 2011 AKP – The spokesman of Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense issued this morning a statement, expressing its disappointment with the Thai troop re-deployments and Thai renewed artillery shelling on Royal Cambodian Armed Forces who are stationing within the vicinity of Temple of Ta Krabey in Banteay Ampil district, Oddar Meanchey province, despites the six-point agreement made by military commanders of both countries.

The full statement reads as follows:

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Cambodia Requests ICJ to Interpret the 1962 Judgment

Phnom Penh, April 29, 2011 AKP – The Royal Government of Cambodia has submitted its request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the interpretation of the Court’s judgment of 1962 on the case concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear, said the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in a statement.

The following is the full statement dated Apr. 29:


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NA President Receives Foreign Diplomats

Phnom Penh, April 29, 2011 AKP – National Assembly President Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin met here on Apr. 28 with newly-appointed Ambassador of Myanmar to Cambodia H.E. U Cho Htun Aung.

During the meeting, the new Burmese diplomat expressed his hope that Cambodia-Thailand border dispute will be resolved peacefully, through ASEAN and UN Security Council mechanisms.

He further briefed Samdech Heng Samrin on the current situation in Myanmar, especially on the development in politics and national construction.

H.E. U Cho Htun Aung promised to do his best to further strengthen and expand the cooperation between both countries.

In reply, Samdech Heng Samrin warmly welcomed the diplomatic mission of H.E. U Cho Htun Aung to Cambodia, through which, he said, the relationship and cooperation between the two countries will be further strengthened.

Cambodia and Myanmar have established their diplomatic relations since 1955.

On the same day, Samdech Heng Samrin also received newly-appointed Swedish Ambassador to Cambodia Mrs. Ann Hoglund.

According to the NA president, Sweden has from 1992 to 2009 extended over US$280 million to Cambodia to support the fields of economic and administrative management, human resource, social and rural development, health, transport and so on.

In 2010, Cambodia’s exports to Sweden reached some US$20 million and it imported nearly US$4 million worth of goods from Sweden, he said.

Sweden has pledged to provide US$93 million to Cambodia for 2010-2012, he added. –AKP

By LIM Nary

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Cambodia, Vietnam Sign Customs Cooperation Agreement

Phnom Penh, April 29, 2011 AKP – The General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (GDCE) and the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) have reached here an agreement to boost their cooperation.

The cooperation agreement was inked on Apr. 27 by Dr. Pen Siman, Delegate of the Royal Government of Cambodia in charge of GDCE and visiting Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuc, Head of GDVC.

According to a GDCE’s press release, the cooperation agreement particularly focused on trade facilitation, fight against cross-border smuggling and infractions, and illegal goods transport, exchange of goods and information, and mutual support at multilateral forums such as ASEAN, GMS, WCO, APEC, ASEM, WTO, etc.

The GDVC delegation led by Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuc arrived here on Apr. 26 for a five-day visit. –AKP

By CHEA Vannak

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Kampong Cham, Tay Ninh Fight Wildlife Trading

Phnom Penh, April 29, 2011 AKP – The Cambodian province of Kampong Cham and the Vietnamese province of Tay Ninh have signed an action plan on controlling the trading of wild fauna and flora species between the two provinces.

The signing took place at a two-day seminar on the issue that wrapped up in Tay Ninh on Apr. 28, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.

Under the plan, both sides will set up an information exchange system and conduct joint patrols along the common border to control illegal wildlife hunting, transport and trading.

They will provide mutual assistance and jointly conduct investigations into violations of international laws on wildlife protection.

Both sides agreed to mobilize the necessary sources to prevent forest fires, preserve biodiversity and control illegal wildlife hunting, transport and trading.

The two sides will jointly disseminate their countries’ policies on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, in order to raise the awareness of people living along the border of the negative impacts of illegal wildlife hunting and smuggling.

At the seminar, participants shared their concerns over complex cross-border illegal wildlife trading, saying that the Kampong Cham-Tay Ninh route is the hot site of the issue.

Illegal wildlife traders have formed into a transnational crime network using modern facilities that hinder both countries’ efforts to fight such crimes, the seminar was told. –AKP

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Statement of the Council of Ministers over Thai Demand for Bilateral Negotiations

Phnom Penh, April 29, 2011 AKP – The Press and Quick Reaction Unit of Cambodia’s Council of Ministers issued on Friday a statement on “Behind the Thai demand for bilateral negotiations.”

The following is the full statement:


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NCWH Rejects Thai Environment Minister’s Claim


Phnom Penh, April 29, 2011 AKP –  The National Committee for the World Heritage of Cambodia (NCWH) has in a statement rejected Thai Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti who claimed that Cambodia’s inscription of the Preah Vihear Temple on the World Heritage list is to blame for the present military clashes.

The full statement dated Apr. 28 reads as follows:



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Cambodian PM Considers the Abhisit Government As a War-loving One

Phnom Penh, April 29, 2011 AKP – Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen considered the Abhisit government as a war-loving one among the previous Thai governments that he had never seen in the historic relations between Cambodia and Thailand.

The Cambodia premier made the comments, while presiding over the Extraordinary Congress of the Cambodian Women Association for Peace and Development at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on Apr. 27.

The Abhisit government is the first one in the history that made aggressive war against Cambodia, and created the endless internal hostilities, as well as turned the hostilities into Cambodian-Thai border dispute and killed Thai and Cambodian people, the premier said, adding that the war happens or not depending on the country’s leader.

The Cambodian premier noted that the Cambodian army exercised its restraint by not making the armed clashes become the big scale of the war.

“During these days of the fighting, Cambodia has exercised utmost restraint, we just used small weapons, not heavy weapons, but on Apr. 26, Cambodia began to use heavy weapons to defend our infantrymen,” said Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, stressing “Our patience is limited, but our use of heavy weapons is still in low level and small scale.” –AKP

By THOU Peou

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PM Hun Sen Speaks at Gathering to Mark 125th International Labor Day

Phnom Penh, April 29, 2011 AKP – Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen has urged further strengthening of measures to prevent labor disputes that could lead to strikes or demonstrations, saying these would affect the environment of investment and employments, public order and peacefulness of the workers and employees as well.

Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen was addressing a gathering in Phnom Penh on Thursday to mark the 125th International Labor Day. It was attended by more than 2,800 participants from the legislative and executive institutions, the trade unions, civil servants and employers, employees and workers.

Calling on all the concerned institutions to reduce the labor disputes and to settle them by peaceful means and mutual understanding, he said the factories and enterprises should be regarded as collective rice pots as when they could operate well and get appropriate profits, the owners would be able to improve the livelihood of workers and employees.

He also requested all the concerned institutions, organizations and individuals to participate in implementing and strengthening the Labor Law and Law on Social Security Regime.

He said the good reputation of working conditions should be further maintained, the productivity and product quality of garments and shoes and other areas of production should be upgraded for competition and contribution to the national development.

Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen appealed for the consolidation of harmony among all employers, workers and employees who, according to him, are important and indispensable partners for social stability and economic growth.

He requested the Employment Consultation Commission to continue researching into national and international economic situations to use as a base for discussions with mutual understanding in reaching a compromise on the increment of minimum wage for garment and shoes making workers.

In July 2010, the monthly base salary for garment and shoes making workers was increased to US$61, which, Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said, is a positive result with contribution from the ILO and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

A report presented at the gathering indicates that there are now 518 garment and shoes making factories, or an increase by 49 factories as compared to that of April 2010. The total number of workers is now more than 347,300 with total salaries of over US$21 million a month. –AKP

Article in Khmer by CHEY Phum Pul
Article in English by Ravuth M.

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