Heng Samrin discussing border demarcation with Vietnam?

Vietnam, Cambodia boost neighborliness

HANOI, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Comprehensive cooperation and border demarcation were two of the topics in the spotlight during discussions between Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong and Cambodian National Assembly President Samdech Heng Samrin, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Friday.

Samdech Heng Samrin paid an official friendship visit to Vietnam from Jan. 15 to Jan. 19, at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Phu Trong.

Trong praised Samdech Heng Samrin's outstanding contributions to strengthening and developing the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, after congratulating him on his re-election as Chairman of Cambodia National Assembly.

Vietnam always nurtures the traditional friendly ties and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia under the motto of "good neighborliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive and long-lasting cooperation", said Trong.

Heng Samrin spoke highly of cooperation between the two legislatures, focusing on a range of activities, including the exchange of high-level National Assembly delegations and delegations of National Assembly agencies and friendship parliamentarians' groups, the arranging of visits for researchers to exchange experiences and the hosting of seminars and meetings for National Assembly agencies to exchange views.

Regarding border demarcation, the two sides expressed satisfaction on initial results of land border demarcation and marker planting conducted by joint efforts of the two countries in the past years.

Heng Samrin said that the successful settlement of the boundary issue is expected to reach by 2012.

The approval of the supplementary land border treaty by the two sides will help to realize Vietnam-Cambodia land border determination treaty and nurture the time-honored friendship, said Trong.

Heng Samrin expressed his thanks to Vietnam for its sincere assistance to the Cambodian people in their past struggles and during their current goal of national construction and development.

Trong concluded the discussions by expressing his thanks to Cambodia for its support to Vietnam's course of development in the past years, especially helping Vietnam gather and return home remains of Vietnam soldiers left in Cambodia.

Thailand's turmoil delays border work

Tuesday, 16 December 2008
Written by Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

ONGOING political turmoil in Bangkok has obliged the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Commission - charged with marking the neighbouring countries' 805 kilometres of shared border - to delay demarcating and de-mining the contested area near the Preah Vihear temple, officials said.

"We cannot do anything right now until we receive approval from the Thai parliament," the head of the border committee, Var Kimhong, told the Post on Monday. "We do not know when the approval will be made."

On November 12, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and his Thai counterpart agreed during a meeting in Siem Reap to reduce the troop buildup along the shared border and allow the JBC to commence its work in the area by mid-December.

"The current situation in Thailand does not in any way affect Thailand's firm commitment to pursuing peaceful settlement of the matter through the existing bilateral framework and boundary mechanism," said a December 9 statement issued by the Thai Foreign Ministry through its embassy in Phnom Penh.

Meas Yoeun, deputy military commander stationed at Preah Vihear, told the Post that he had received no recent orders pertaining to the work of the JBC.

"The situation along the border near the temple is normal, and troops on both sides have reduced [levels] to 30 troops each at the front line near the temple," Meas Yoeun said.

Phay Siphan, a secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, said there is no schedule set for the next meeting of the JCB and this will not change until newly appointed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva takes office.