Five ink deal to form rice cartel [-Will farmers benefit from rice price increase?]

Yanyong: 10% price rise acceptable

Goal is to boost price by 10% annually

23/08/2012
Bangkok Post

Five Asean rice-producing countries are joining forces to form a regional alliance with the ambitious goal to boost rice prices by 10% annually.

Trade ministers from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos are scheduled to sign the agreement later this year to establish the Asean Rice Federation, said Yanyong Phuangrach, the commerce permanent secretary.

Mr Yanyong called the cooperation a first for a region that exports 20 million tonnes of rice a year.

The cooperation will help lift rice prices and the census is agreed among these members that rice is not only a staple but also a main source of revenue for them.

He said a 10% rise each year is acceptable and will not have significant effect on consumers.

"The cooperation can stabilise rice prices and ensure food security in the region," he told a press briefing yesterday.

Burma Eyes Overtaking Cambodia, Laos Economically

July 24, 2012
RFA

Burma hopes to overtake neighbors Laos and Cambodia in terms of average income per person within two to three years, as the country embraces political and economic reforms, Burmese Industry Minister Soe Thein said Monday.

“I hope we will have higher average income per person than Laos and Cambodia by 2014-15. It is possible,” he said in an interview with RFA’s Burmese service.

Soe Thein was answering a question on his expectations for the Burmese economy in the next five years.

Burma is languishing with a gross national income per capita of U.S. $379.60, based on U.N. figures in 2009, the lowest among its fellow member states in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

China Urges Asean to Avoid Sea Spat

July 11, 2012
By PATRICK BARTA
The Wall Street Journal

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia—China moved to block efforts to resolve long-running tensions over claims in the disputed South China Sea, warning participants in a regional summit attended by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton here that it is "crucial" they leave the issue out of their discussions.

Mrs. Clinton, who arrived in the Cambodian capital late Wednesday after making a brief but historic trip to the Laotian capital of Vientiane, is the first U.S. secretary of state to visit the country since John Foster Dulles in 1955. Mrs. Clinton met with the communist nation's prime minister and discussed ways of unlocking more investment there as part of Washington's widening effort to build allies in Southeast Asia to match China's growing influence in the region.

Mrs. Clinton is also expected to announce new rules later this week clarifying procedures for U.S. companies wanting to invest in Myanmar, including energy companies looking to do business with the country's state oil firm—another part of Washington's effort to expand America's role in countries that border China. U.S. officials said earlier this year they would be suspending sanctions against Myanmar after its government launched overhauls to end decades of military rule, and U.S. companies have been waiting for more details before they go in.

Suu Kyi receives Nobel Peace Prize 21 years late

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi gives her Nobel Lecture at City Hall in Oslo June 16, 2012. Aung San Suu Kyi finally accepted her 1991 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Saturday after spending a total of 15 years under house arrest and said full political freedom in her country was still a long way off.

Sat Jun 16, 2012
By Balazs Koranyi

OSLO (Reuters) - Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi finally received her 1991 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Saturday after spending 15 years under house arrest, and said her country's full transformation to democracy was still far off.

"What the Nobel Peace Prize did was to draw me once again into the world of other human beings outside the isolated area in which I lived, to restore a sense of reality to me," Suu Kyi said as the packed crowd, led by Norway's King Harald and Queen Sonja, rose in a standing ovation.

Suu Kyi, 66, the Oxford University-educated daughter of General Aung San, Myanmar's assassinated independence hero, said much remained to be resolved in her country.

"Hostilities have not ceased in the far north; to the west, communal violence resulting in arson and murder were taking place just several days before I started out the journey that has brought me here today," Suu Kyi said at the ornate Oslo City Hall, on her first visit to Europe in nearly 21 years.

Hardline Myanmar vice president resigns

Myanmar's Vice President Tin Aung Myint Oo. (StraitsTimes/Reuters)

Mon, 05/07/2012
Nirmal Ghosh
Asia News Network (The Straits Times), Bangkok, Thailand

Myanmar Vice president Tin Aung Myint Oo, 61, has submitted his resignation for health reasons, the Myanmar language service of Voice of America reported on Sunday.

The hardline former top general did so last Thursday after returning from medical treatment in Singapore, it said. There was no official confirmation of the report.

However, rumors of a Cabinet reshuffle that would strengthen reformists have been swirling in Myanmar in recent days.

U Tin Aung Myint Oo is a graduate of the country's elite Defense Services Academy. He has been highly decorated and given the title Thiha Thura for his role in repulsing Communist Party of Burma troops in a major battle in 1988 when he was a deputy battalion commander.

Cambodia garment sector fears competition from Myanmar

Fri, 04/27/2012
Rasmei Kampuchea Daily

The lifting of EU sanctions against Myanmar is bound to have an impact on the Cambodian garment sector, Cambodia Sin Chew Daily reported on Thursday.

The European Union announced earlier this week that it was lifting sanctions against the country. Japan and Canada have made similar announcements since the end of last week.

"The Cambodian garment industry will certainly be affected after EU sanctions against Myanmar are abolished," Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) Secretary-General Lu Qijian was quoted as saying.

Myanmar parliament opens without Suu Kyi

Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi attends a ceremony at National League for Democracy party head office in Yangon April 18, 2012. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

04/23/2012
By Stuart Grudgings
Reuters

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (Reuters) - Myanmar's parliament convened on Monday without Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi after her party boycotted the legislature over a disagreement on the wording of the oath of office, just weeks after winning historic by-elections.

The protest by Suu Kyi's party will dent an image of transformation the government wanted to show off on Monday, when the European Union is all but certain to become the first among Western powers to suspend in earnest sanctions that isolated Myanmar for two decades.

Myanmar parliament session opens without Suu Kyi

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon on April 22. Myanmar's parliament convened without Suu Kyi and newly-elected members of her party on Monday, amid a dispute over the swearing-in oath

Graphic showing political developments for Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party announced Sunday it will postpone its parliamentary debut after a dipute over the swearing-in oath

04/23/2012
AFP News

Myanmar's parliament convened without Aung San Suu Kyi and newly-elected members of her party on Monday, according to an AFP photographer, amid a dispute over the swearing-in oath.

Suu Kyi has vowed not to swear to protect a constitution created by the former junta, in the first sign of tension with the government since a landmark by-election this month saw the democracy icon win a parliamentary seat.

A session of the lower house, which was supposed to see Suu Kyi make her debut as a politician, began without the former political prisoner and 36 other members of her party.

តើ​វត្តមាន​របស់​លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​ជា​លក្ខខណ្ឌ​ចាំបាច់​សម្រាប់​ការ​បោះឆ្នោត​ឬ​ទេ?

លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស​សមរង្ស៊ី (រូបភាពឯកសារ) (AFP)

សៅរ៍ 07 មេសា 2012
ដោយ ប៉ែន បូណា
Radio France Internationale

ប៉ុន្តែ បក្សប្រឆាំង​វិញ​ដែល​ចាត់ទុក​លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​ថា​ជា«ជនរង គ្រោះ ​នយោបាយ»ដោយសារ ​ការ​ធ្វើទុក្ខបុកម្នេញ​របស់​បក្ស ​កាន់អំណាច ​នោះ​រំពឹងថា ការបោះឆ្នោត​ខាង មុខនេះ ​នឹង​គ្មាន ​តម្លៃ​អ្វី​ឡើយ​ បើ​គ្មាន​វត្តមាន​របស់ លោក​ ស​ម រង្ស៊ី។

Click here to listen to the audio program:

Click here to download the audio program in MP3

ការបោះឆ្នោត​ឃុំ​សង្កាត់​ដែល​ប្រព្រឹត្តទៅ​នៅ​ខែមិថុនា​ខាងមុខនេះ​កាន់តែ​ខិតចូល​មកដល់​ហើយ ប៉ុន្តែ នៅ​មិនទាន់មាន​សញ្ញា​ណាមួយ​ដែល​បង្ហាញថា លោក សម រង្ស៊ី មេដឹកនាំ​បក្សប្រឆាំង​ធំ ជាងគេ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​អាច​វិលត្រឡប់​ចូល​ស្រុក​វិញ​បាន​នៅឡើយ​ទេ។ ផ្ទុយទៅវិញ​សង្គ្រាមពាក្យសម្តី​រវាង បក្ស កាន់អំណាច​និង​បក្សប្រឆាំង​កាន់តែ​មាន​ទំហំ​ធំ​ឡើងជា​លំដាប់។ នេះ​សបញ្ជាក់​ឲ្យ​ឃើញថា ដំណើរការ​បោះឆ្នោត​ខាងមុខនេះ​ប្រាកដជា​គ្មាន​វត្តមាន​របស់លោក​ស​ម រង្ស៊ី។ តើ​អវត្តមាន​របស់លោក​ស​ម រង្ស៊ី​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​រាំងស្ទះ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​ឬទេ?

នៅពេលដែល​ក្រសែភ្នែក​របស់​សហគម​ន៍​អន្តរជាតិ​កំពុង​សម្លឹង​ឆ្ពោះទៅ​ជោគជ័យ​របស់លោក​ស្រី​អង់​សាន ស៊ូ​ជី​នៅ​ប្រទេស​ភូមា វាសនា​នយោបាយ​របស់​លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​ក៏បាន​ក្លាយជា​ប្រធានបទ​ក្តៅ​ម្តងទៀត​នៅ​កម្ពុជា។ ការបោះឆ្នោត​បំពេញបន្ថែម​នៅ​ភូមា​កាលពី​ថ្ងៃទី១មេសា​ដែល​បើកផ្លូវ​ឲ្យ​មេដឹកនាំ​បក្សប្រឆាំង​ដ៏​ល្បីល្បាញ​គឺ​លោកស្រី អង់​សាន ស៊ូ​ជី ចូលទៅ​កាន់​រដ្ឋសភា​នោះ គឺជា​ចំណុច​ទាក់ទាញ​មួយ​ដល់​សហគមន៍​អន្តរជាតិ បើទោះបីជា​វា​មិន​មានន័យថា គណបក្ស​របស់លោក​ស្រី​អង់​សាន ស៊ូ​ជី នឹង​ឡើង​ដឹកនាំ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ក៏ដោយ។ អ្វីដែល​បង្កើតជា​ចំណងទាក់ទង​រវាង​ស្ថានការណ៍​នយោបាយ​ប្រទេស​ភូមា និង​កម្ពុជា​គឺ​នៅត្រង់​ការបោះឆ្នោត និង​វត្តមាន​របស់​មេដឹកនាំ​បក្សប្រឆាំង​ក្នុងការ​បោះឆ្នោត​នេះឯង។ ខណៈដែល​មេបក្ស​គណបក្សប្រឆាំង​ភូមា​ដែល​ធ្លាប់​ត្រូវគេ​ដាក់​ឃុំឃាំង​ក្នុងផ្ទះ​អស់​រយៈពេល​ជិត​ពីរ​ទសវត្សរ៍​ត្រូវគេ​អនុញ្ញាត​ឲ្យ​ចូលរួម​បោះឆ្នោត​នោះ នៅ​កម្ពុជា​វត្តមាន​របស់​មេ​ដឹកនាំ​បក្សប្រឆាំង​ដ៏​សំខាន់​ម្នាក់​កំពុង​ចោទ​ជា​បញ្ហា នៅពេលដែល​ការបោះឆ្នោត​កាន់តែ​ឈាន​ជិត​មកដល់។


ជាការ​ពិត ការបោះឆ្នោត​មួយ​ដែល​ប្រកបដោយ​សេរី ត្រឹមត្រូវ និង​យុត្តិធម៌​ពិតប្រាកដ​ទាល់តែ​ការបោះឆ្នោត​នោះ​មាន​តម្លាភាព និង​គ្មាន​បញ្ហា។ ផ្ទុយទៅវិញ ការបោះឆ្នោត​មួយ​ដែល​គូបដិបក្ខ​នយោបាយ​មាន​ជម្លោះ​គ្នា​យ៉ាង​ស្រួចស្រាល់​រហូតដល់​គូប្រជែង​ដ៏​សំខាន់​ម្នាក់​មិនអាច​ចូលរួម​ក្នុងការ​បោះឆ្នោត​បាន​នោះ​ចៀស​មិន​ផុត​ឡើយ​ពី​ភាព​ល្អក់កករ។ មានន័យថា អវត្តមាន​របស់លោក​សម ង្ស៊ី ដែលជា​មេបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​លំដាប់​ទី១ក្នុងការ​បោះឆ្នោត​នេះ​ពិតជា​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​ស្រអាប់​ដល់​ដំណើរការ​បោះឆ្នោត​បើទោះជា​តិច​ឬ​ច្រើនក្តី។ ក៏ប៉ុន្តែ វា​ក៏​មិនមែន​មានន័យថា អវត្តមាន​លោក​សម រង្ស៊ី​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​ការបោះឆ្នោត​មិនអាច​ដំណើរការបាន​នោះដែរ។ ហេតុផល​សត្យានុម័ត​ទាំងពីរ​ខាងលើនេះ​អាចជា​ជំនួយស្មារតី​មួយ​សម្រាប់​ការផ្សះផ្សា​គ្នា​រវាង​គណបក្សប្រឆាំង​និង​បក្ស​កាន់អំណាច​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​ជាជាង​ការប្រកាន់យក​ត្រូវ​ដាច់​ណាត់​តែរៀងៗខ្លួន។

Hun Sen: we won’t be bought [...'cause we are already paid in full by China!!!]

Prime Minister Hun Sen delivers a speech to the ASEAN delegates during a press conference yesterday afternoon. (Photo by Meng Kimlong)

Thursday, 05 April 2012
Shane Worrell with additional reporting by Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

After a week of global media reports dissecting Cambodia’s relationship with China, Prime Minister Hun Sen had apparently had enough yesterday – lashing out at the media and analysts he termed “crazy” in what proved an unexpected conclusion to the 20th ASEAN Summit.

The premier spent a good part of the concluding press conference defending his government from claims that China was buying its support.

“Cambodia is not [being] bought by anyone (sic!),” he said, referring to the millions of dollars in loans and aid Chinese President Hu Jintao pledged on Saturday.

Hun Sen went on to praise China at length for “saving” the ASEAN economy in 1997 and showing generosity to Europe during the 2008 economic crisis, but insisted he had never felt pressure from Chinese leaders to “do this or do that”.

That, of course, was precisely the suggestion of some analysts, who posited that last weekend’s visit by Hu had been made with the intention of enlisting Cambodia’s aid in squelching debate on the controversial South China Sea issue.

ASEAN hits troubled waters

Leaders of the 10 ASEAN nations link hands yesterday morning at the opening ceremony. (Photo by Heng Chivoan)

Wednesday, 04 April 2012
Cheang Sokha and Shane Worrell
The Phnom Penh Post

Prime Minister Hun Sen pushed regional unity at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Summit yesterday, but criticism directed at Cambodia over the South China Sea ensured the dispute re­­mained front and centre.

As heavily armed guards lined the streets outside the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, singers, dancers and an orchestra inside heralded the opening of Cambodia’s second summit as chair and the 20th in ASEAN’s 45-year-history.

During an impassioned opening speech, Hun Sen promoted a united ASEAN, focusing on doubling the existing regional currency fund to US$240 billion, as well as responding to the woes of the region’s migrant workers and closing a development gap between member states.

To deal with potential future economic crises, Hun Sen spoke of “strengthening and doubling the size of the current mechanism from US$120 billion to US$240 billion as soon as possible.”

The prime minister said the “free flow of labour” was an important part of an ASEAN Economic Community, which member states are aiming for by 2015.

“Even though this goal has not been fully achieved, indeed, the exchange of labour among ASEAN countries has already been robust. This highlights the need for strengthening cooperation among ASEAN members in order to protect the rights of migrant workers,” he said.

Suu Kyi declares Myanmar on cusp of new era [-Democracy is allowed to flourish in Burma ... unlike Hun Xen's Cambodia]

04-02-2012
By Kelly Macnamara
AFP

Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday hailed a "new era" for Myanmar and called for political unity after her party swept to victory in elections seen as a test of budding reforms.

The Nobel laureate won her first-ever seat in parliament, state media confirmed. It said her party had secured 40 of the 44 seats it contested, according to partial official results.

The dramatic political changes were accompanied by the quasi-civilian government's most radical economic reform yet -- an overhaul of the country's complex currency regime.

Suu Kyi supporters celebrated into the night after her National League for Democracy (NLD) party declared that she had secured a seat in parliament for the first time in Sunday's by-elections.

The veteran activist's election to political office marks the latest sweeping change in the country formerly known as Burma after decades of outright military rule ended last year.

"This is not so much our triumph as a triumph for people who have decided that they must be involved in the political process in this country," Suu Kyi said in a victory speech at her party headquarters in Yangon.

Burma goes to the polls in landmark byelection

Aung San Suu Kyi leaves a polling station in the village of Wah Thin Kha, Burma. Photograph: AP

Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to win her first public office since she launched her struggle against military rule decades ago

Sunday 1 April 2012

Associated Press in Wah Thin Kha

Burma has begun a landmark election that is expected to send Aung San Suu Kyi into parliament for her first public office since she launched her decades-long struggle against the military-dominated government.

Sunday's byelection, to fill a few dozen vacant seats, follows months of surprising reforms by a nominally civilian government. Aung San Suu Kyi's party and its opposition allies will have almost no say even if they win all the seats they are contesting, because the 664-seat parliament will remain dominated by the military and the military-backed ruling party.

But if Aung San Suu Kyi takes office as expected, it will symbolise a giant leap towards national reconciliation after nearly a quarter of a century in which she has spent most of her time under house arrest. It could also nudge western powers closer to easing economic sanctions imposed on the country for years.

Myanmar prepares to vote with Suu Kyi poised for win

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi speak to the press at her residence in Yangon on Friday (AFP, Christophe Archambault)

An Election Commission employee makes final preparations at a polling station in Yangon (AFP, Soe Than Win)

A carnival atmosphere pervaded the streets in Yangon on the last day of campaigning (AFP, Soe Than Win)

03-31-2012
By Hla Hla Htay | AFP

Myanmar was making final preparations Saturday for polls seen as a test of the military-dominated regime's reforms, in which opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is standing for the first time.

Many polling stations in the 45 constituencies spread across the country were already set up for the Sunday vote, which the Nobel laureate is contesting despite criticising it as not "genuinely free and fair".

Suu Kyi, who called off her gruelling schedule of huge rallies across the country earlier this week after falling ill while campaigning in southern Myanmar, is set to make her way later Saturday to her rural constituency of Kawhmu, about two hours drive from Yangon.

The participation of "The Lady," as she is known here, and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party has fuelled an explosion in the number of T-shirt vendors in the main commercial city of Yangon, with an every-increasing variety of styles, all of which would have been taboo just a year ago.

Cambodia Curtails Freedom of Expression at ASEAN Civil Society Conference

30 March 2012

Cambodia Curtails Freedom of Expression at ASEAN Civil Society Conference

Four workshops organized by civil society organizations were forced late last night to move their workshops to La Palaranda hotel, away from the main venue of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)/ASEAN Peoples Forum (APF), the Lucky Star Hotel (on Street 336, Phnom Penh). Three of the workshops dealt with land rights, eviction and environment issues and the fourth focused on Burma's current political and human rights situation and the challenges this poses to the country's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014.

The workshops were Expansion of Mono-Culture Plantations in ASEAN: Impacts to forest, farmlands and people livelihood, and Promote and Protect Rights to Land Territory, Natural Resources and Development of Indigenous People/Ethnic Minorities, and Regional Workshop on Land Rights and Eviction and Promoting Regional Cooperation to Ensure a People-Centered ASEAN in 2014 in Burma/Myanmar.

Not only are we facing eviction from our land, we are now also being evicted from this civil society process, said Seng Sokheng, member of the National Working Group of the Community Peace Building Network. We came here to join the ACSC/APF because we believed it was a space for us to explain our issues and share them with fellow civil society from the region. Cambodia has tarnished its image by evicting us like this.

Indigenous people in the region are constantly marginalized. Rather than providing us an opportunity to raise our concerns on the non-recognition of our collective rights, we are being further marginalized. This is completely unacceptable,said Richard Gadit, Human Rights Advocacy Officer of the Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact.

We planned to hold our workshop at this ACSC/APF to talk about the challenges of creating an open space for independent civil society, using the example of Cambodia to learn lessons to use in Burma in 2014.The lesson we have learned is that ASEAN countries don't respect freedom of expression,said Khin Ohmar, Coordinator of Burma Partnership. If this is happening here in Cambodia, imagine what will happen in Burma where the right to freedom of expression is already violated on a daily basis.

For more information:

Seng Sokheng, Community Peace Building Network: +855 92324668 (Khmer)

Richard Gadit, Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact: +855 89789249/+66 897001749 (English/Tagalog)

Khin Ohmar, Burma Partnership: +855 95908483 / +66 818840772(English/Burma)

--

Housing Rights Task Force (HRTF)

HRTF:#2A, St.271, Sangkat Beoung

Tompun, Khan Chamcar Morn

Phnom Penh.

Evictions Hotline: (855) 068 470 480

Tel/Fax: (855) 023 996 531

Email: sd@hrtfcambodia.org

Website: www.hrtfcambodia.org

--------------------------------------------------------

HRTF is the coalition of local and international organizations that working

to Prevent Force Eviction and Promote Housing Rights in Cambodia.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Free & the Fearful Election

Xen teaching Sein how to cheat the election?

Burmese President Thein Sein, left, shakes hands with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Peace Building in Phnom Penh on Wednesday, March 21, 2012. Thein Sein is on a two-day official visit to the Cambodian capital. Photo: AFP

Thein Sein asks Hun Sen about experiences with election observers

Thursday, 22 March 2012

(Mizzima) – Burmese President Thein Sein arrived in Phnom Penh on Wednesday, where he is scheduled to meet with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen.

He confirmed that Burma has invited a delegation of Asian and Western monitors to observe the April 1 by-election, according to an article by The Associated Press on Wednesday. Thein Sein will travel to Laos on Thursday.

Each of the 10-member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will send two official delegates to watch the April 1 by-elections, according to Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith.

Khieu Kanharith said Thein Sein told Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that Asean “dialogue partners” — Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States — would also each be invited to send a small delegation.

Thein Sein asked Hun Sen for information on Cambodia’s experiences with foreign election observers and the Cambodian leader agreed he would send relevant documents on the subject, according to the AP.

Myanmar will allow US, EU monitors for April vote

21 March 2012
By SOPHENG CHEANG, Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Myanmar's president confirmed Wednesday that his country will allow some foreign election observers, including from the United States and Europe, to monitor next month's polls, considered a crucial test of reforms he has taken in the military-dominated country.

Myanmar President Thein Sein, making an official visit to Cambodia, said each of the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations would be allowed to send two official delegates to watch the April 1 by-elections, according to Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith.

Khieu Kanharith cited Thein Sein telling Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that ASEAN's so-called dialogue partners — Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States — would also each be invited to send a small delegation, as would ASEAN's own administrative office.

Rice Cartel Plan Resurfaces

A rice mill in Battambang province owned by the Loran Rice Group. (RFA)

Cambodia and Burma look to join forces on the regional rice market.

2012-03-21

Radio Free Asia

Cambodia is eager to revive an earlier plan to establish a regional rice trade cartel to help offset fluctuating international market prices and wants another key exporter Burma to join the group.

Officials said the move was discussed during a meeting between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his visiting Burmese counterpart Thein Sein in Phnom Penh on Wednesday during which the two leaders considered ways to boost bilateral trade.

Cambodian government spokesman and Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith said Hun Sen requested that Burma join the proposed cartel in order to help stabilize the trade on the key commodity amongst members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN), of which Cambodia is the current chair.

ASEAN is comprised of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Burma, and Vietnam—all net rice exporters—as well as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore—which import the majority of their rice.

Myanmar president starts state visit to Cambodia

Xen and Sein (Photo: Reuters)

March 21, 2012

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) - Myanmar President U Thein Sein arrived here on Wednesday afternoon for a two-day state visit to boost bilateral ties.

At the Phnom Penh International Airport, U Thein Sein was greeted by Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Royal Palace Kong Sam Ol and Tourism Minister Thong Khon.

U Thein Sein's visit was made at the invitation of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, according to a press release from Cambodia' s Foreign Ministry.