Senator Kong Korm wrote this open letter appealing to King-Father Norodom Sihanouk to seek help from signatory countries to the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement on Cambodia for the cancellation of border treaties concluded under the Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia.The original Cambodian version of the letter can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/au6wn
[Translation from Cambodian]
Kingdom of Cambodia
Nation – Religion – King
SenateCommittee No. 7
Open Letter
I, Kong Korm, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia under the 7 January Vietnamese occupation, and currently a Senator and Vice-President of the Sam Rainsy Party, am confirming that the Supplemental Treaty between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the 1985 Treaty of delimitation of border will impair the national unity, sovereignty, and national integrity of Cambodia.
At least four main Cambodian regimes: the Sangkum Reastr Niyum, the Khmer Republic, the Democratic Kampuchea, and the People’s Republic of Kampuchea which was placed under the tutelage of the 7 January Vietnamese, had their respective issues and positions regarding the Cambodian-Vietnamese borders. Even though the Sangkum Reastr Niyum recognized the borders based on 1/100,000 scale map between the years 1933-1953 and internationally recognized between the years 1963-1969, it still did not agree with the resolutions imposed by the [French] Protectorate administration. The Khmer Republic and the Democratic of Kampuchea maintained the position and the actions they inherited from the previous regime. However, the People’s Republic of Kampuchea which was placed under the tutelage of the 7 January Vietnamese came up with the 1982, 1983, and 1985 treaties to delimit the Cambodian-Vietnamese border – treaties which the national and international communities considered as being imposed by foreign occupiers.
The continuous two decades dispute from the 70s all the way to 1991 was terminated by the Paris agreements with the participation of the four Cambodian parties involved, and 19 other countries. According to the Paris Agreement, Article 1, Paragraph 4, Item No. 3 stipulated that: “Cambodia undertakes to terminate treaties and agreements that are incompatible with its sovereignty, independence, national unity …”
I believe that the Supplemental Treaty which was issued from the 1985 Treaty was not concluded under an atmosphere of national unity, independence, and sovereignty, and it must be terminated according to the Paris Agreement. The recent Supplemental Treaty to the 1985 Treaty which was signed between Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Kingdom of Cambodia, and Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on 10 October 2005, and which was approved on 11 November 2005 by the National Assembly is a violation of the Constitution of the Second Kingdom of Cambodia in its Article 55 stipulating that “Any treaty and agreement incompatible with the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, neutrality and national unity of the Kingdom of Cambodia shall be annulled”.
I continue to always respect His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk who represents the Cambodian party signatory of the 1991 Paris Agreement, and I am supporting the position taken by the Sam Rainsy Party Members of the National Assembly and Senate who are requesting His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk to demand the help from all signatory countries to the [1991] Paris Agreement to terminate treaties and agreements that are incompatible with its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and inviolability, neutrality, and national unity of Cambodia.
Only the official cancellation of the 1982, 1983, and 1985 Treaties which were concluded during the Vietnamese occupation, and the negotiation for the installation of border posts as defined in the 1/100,000 scale map between the years 1933-1953 and internationally recognized between the years 1963-1969 as indicated in Article 2 of the Constitution of the Second King of Cambodia will truly bring back the national unity and the respect of independence, sovereignty, national integrity, and neutrality to the Second Kingdom of Cambodia.
I was pleased, supported, and had high hope in the meeting of the Supreme National Council on Border Affairs held in Beijing on 11-12 May 2005. I had read the Royal Message dated 30 June 2005 asking the National Assembly and the Government of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam to return farmlands back to Cambodian people. Cambodian People from all walk of life and from everywhere are always ready to participate in the defense and building of their beloved Cambodia homeland.
We are requesting His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk who represents the signatory of the Cambodian party, all signatory countries to the [1991] Paris Agreement, and in particular the Constitutional Council of the Kingdom of Cambodia to please help examine and resolve the issue of sovereignty and national integrity of Cambodia.
Phnom Penh, 24 November 2005
(Signed)
Kong Korm
President of Senate Committee No. 7
At least four main Cambodian regimes: the Sangkum Reastr Niyum, the Khmer Republic, the Democratic Kampuchea, and the People’s Republic of Kampuchea which was placed under the tutelage of the 7 January Vietnamese, had their respective issues and positions regarding the Cambodian-Vietnamese borders. Even though the Sangkum Reastr Niyum recognized the borders based on 1/100,000 scale map between the years 1933-1953 and internationally recognized between the years 1963-1969, it still did not agree with the resolutions imposed by the [French] Protectorate administration. The Khmer Republic and the Democratic of Kampuchea maintained the position and the actions they inherited from the previous regime. However, the People’s Republic of Kampuchea which was placed under the tutelage of the 7 January Vietnamese came up with the 1982, 1983, and 1985 treaties to delimit the Cambodian-Vietnamese border – treaties which the national and international communities considered as being imposed by foreign occupiers.
The continuous two decades dispute from the 70s all the way to 1991 was terminated by the Paris agreements with the participation of the four Cambodian parties involved, and 19 other countries. According to the Paris Agreement, Article 1, Paragraph 4, Item No. 3 stipulated that: “Cambodia undertakes to terminate treaties and agreements that are incompatible with its sovereignty, independence, national unity …”
I believe that the Supplemental Treaty which was issued from the 1985 Treaty was not concluded under an atmosphere of national unity, independence, and sovereignty, and it must be terminated according to the Paris Agreement. The recent Supplemental Treaty to the 1985 Treaty which was signed between Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Kingdom of Cambodia, and Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on 10 October 2005, and which was approved on 11 November 2005 by the National Assembly is a violation of the Constitution of the Second Kingdom of Cambodia in its Article 55 stipulating that “Any treaty and agreement incompatible with the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, neutrality and national unity of the Kingdom of Cambodia shall be annulled”.
I continue to always respect His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk who represents the Cambodian party signatory of the 1991 Paris Agreement, and I am supporting the position taken by the Sam Rainsy Party Members of the National Assembly and Senate who are requesting His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk to demand the help from all signatory countries to the [1991] Paris Agreement to terminate treaties and agreements that are incompatible with its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and inviolability, neutrality, and national unity of Cambodia.
Only the official cancellation of the 1982, 1983, and 1985 Treaties which were concluded during the Vietnamese occupation, and the negotiation for the installation of border posts as defined in the 1/100,000 scale map between the years 1933-1953 and internationally recognized between the years 1963-1969 as indicated in Article 2 of the Constitution of the Second King of Cambodia will truly bring back the national unity and the respect of independence, sovereignty, national integrity, and neutrality to the Second Kingdom of Cambodia.
I was pleased, supported, and had high hope in the meeting of the Supreme National Council on Border Affairs held in Beijing on 11-12 May 2005. I had read the Royal Message dated 30 June 2005 asking the National Assembly and the Government of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam to return farmlands back to Cambodian people. Cambodian People from all walk of life and from everywhere are always ready to participate in the defense and building of their beloved Cambodia homeland.
We are requesting His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk who represents the signatory of the Cambodian party, all signatory countries to the [1991] Paris Agreement, and in particular the Constitutional Council of the Kingdom of Cambodia to please help examine and resolve the issue of sovereignty and national integrity of Cambodia.
Phnom Penh, 24 November 2005
(Signed)
Kong Korm
President of Senate Committee No. 7
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