Cambodia lectures Lao officials on temple dispute with Thailand

Wed, 06 Jan 2010
DPA

Vientiane - Cambodia's deputy foreign minister visited Laos to provide a background briefing on Preah Vihear, an 11th-century Hindu temple on the Thai-Cambodian border that has sparked a nasty diplomatic spat between the two countries, news reports said Wednesday. Long Visalo on Tuesday gave a lecture to more than 200 Lao Foreign Ministry officials on the history of Preah Vihear and the border dispute it has created between Laos' southern neighbours, the government-run Vientiane Times reported.

The ongoing diplomatic rift between the two countries has raised serious questions about the cohesiveness of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Cambodia, Thailand and Laos are members.

Cambodia has attempted to involve ASEAN in resolving the border dispute, but Thailand has refused, arguing that it is an issue that should be settled bilaterally.

Long Visalo noted that the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear was under the sovereignty of Cambodia and in July 2008 UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site.

Thailand objected to the UNESCO listing on the grounds that a plot of land adjoining the temple is still subject to a border dispute.

A diplomatic spat over the listing escalated into a tense standoff last year between the two countries' armies near Preah Vihear, which left several soldiers on both sides dead.

Cambodian prime minister to visit Laos to discuss Mekong

Thu, 27 Mar 2008
DPA

Phnom Penh - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is to pay a one-day visit to neighbouring Laos to meet with regional officials on issues affecting the Mekong River, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release received Thursday. Plans by Laos to dam the river to produce electricity have alarmed Cambodian officials and environmental groups alike, who worry that the dams would hurt rich downstream fisheries on which Cambodia and other nations depend.

Hun Sen is scheduled to visit Laos Friday and would be accompanied by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh, the press release said.

Hun Sen to visit Laos, attend GMS Summit [-he will also sign another border agreement with Laos also

PHNOM PENH, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will leave here on Friday for Laos to conduct an official visit there and attend the Third Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit, said a press release from the government on Tuesday.

His delegation will include Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong, Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh and other senior officials, said the release.

During his visit, both sides will sign an agreement on border issues, it added.

Meanwhile, for the summit from March 30 to 31, Hun Sen will meet with the prime ministers from five other GMS countries, including China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, to enhance development and economic cooperation among them through greater infrastructure connectivity, trade and transport facilitation, private investment, environmental management, and other measures, said a press release from the Asia Development Bank (ADB) issued here last week.

The leaders will discuss coordinated actions to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development for all the countries and people of the GMS by enhancing connectivity and competitiveness, and promoting an increased sense of community, it added.

ADB defined an area of 811,000 square km along the Mekong Rivers GMS. The bank is also responsible for coordinating the development issues of the six countries related to the river through various GMS meetings.