Cambodian consulate inaugurated in Lahore

Monday, August 22, 2011
The News (Pakistan)

LAHORE: The first Honorary Consul General of Cambodia in Pakistan, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, has said that the Pakistan-Cambodia Business Council will soon be established for cooperation between both the countries.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Cambodian Consulate in Pakistan here on Sunday, he said that he wanted to see both countries rise and grow to great economic fronts and hoped that the consulate would be a milestone in achieving the goal. Punjab Governor Latif Khosa, PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat, Senior Federal Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, Shafey Hussain and Haris Elahi were also present.

Consulate Vows To Help Cambodians 'Unconditionally' [-How to spin the truth a-la-CPP?]

Sok Savoeun, the newly appointed consular. (Photo: By Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer)

Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Philadelphia Monday, 27 September 2010

“Today I want to make clear to all of you that the main mission of either the embassy or the consulates is to serve all people regardless of their political tendencies and beliefs. We will serve you unconditionally (sic!).”

Cambodia opened a consulate office in Philadelphia, Penn., on Saturday, the third of its kind, aimed at serving Cambodian nationals and attracting tourism and investment.

Located on the ground floor of a building in the north of the city, the five-by-fifteen-meter office will certify documents and work with Cambodians facing issues like deportation, officials said.

“The opening of the general consulate is to help functions for our people who live in the US, to use it as a bridge for people in Philadelphia to our motherland,” Ouch Borith, secretary of state for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told a crowd of about 100 Saturday.

Cambodia already has consulates in Seattle, Wash., and Lowell, Mass., in addition to its embassy in Washington.

Officials also moved to put aside concerns that these offices were extensions of the ruling Cambodian People's Party.

“Today I want to make clear to all of you that the main mission of either the embassy or the consulates is to serve all people regardless of their political tendencies and beliefs,” he said. “We will serve you unconditionally.”

“I am committed to serve the interests of the Cambodian people,” said Sok Savoeun, the newly appointed consular. “I will try my best to help as much as I can, regardless of your political parties. So long as you are Cambodians, I will do my best to serve you.”

Philadelphia: New Cambodian consulate or new CPP spying office?

Philadelphia Selected for Third Cambodian Consul in US

Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Thursday, 02 September 2010

However, supporters of Cambodia's opposition parties worry the consulate, located in a city of diverse political views and 18,000 Cambodians, will be used to further the interests of the ruling Cambodian People's Party.

“I don't expect much from the consulate,” said Ou Kimhuot, an activist for the minority opposition Human Rights Party. “In my view, the consulate will serve [CPP] political purposes rather than serving the people here. It is placed as their eyes and ears to keep vigilance over the opposition, to see how strong the opposition is, so they can devise a strategy to cope with that.”

Cambodia will open a consulate in the city of Philadelphia, Penn., later this month, aiming to provide services to Cambodians there and help draw investment back home.

Hor Namhong is expected to open the consulate, Cambodia's third in the US, on Sept. 25. Consulates already operate in Seattle, Wash., and Lowell, Mass.

“Our purpose in opening the consulate is first to facilitate paperwork for Cambodians, whether they hold US citizenship or still have Cambodian citizenship,” Cambodia's ambassador to the US, Hem Heng, told VOA Khmer. “Secondly, to protect their interests in the US. And thirdly, we want to expand trade and cultural relations and cooperation. We want to promote investment in Cambodia and attract US tourists to visit Cambodia.”

Sok Savoeun, a 48-year-old US-Cambodian, has been named consul for the office.

“This area is central to Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese communities and other ethnic groups who like to visit Cambodia,” he said. “As for the investment I have observed that the Korean community here likes to go to do business in Cambodia.”

The consulate will offer visa and passport services and certification of documents, such as marriage and birth certificates, he said.

However, supporters of Cambodia's opposition parties worry the consulate, located in a city of diverse political views and 18,000 Cambodians, will be used to further the interests of the ruling Cambodian People's Party.

“I don't expect much from the consulate,” said Ou Kimhuot, an activist for the minority opposition Human Rights Party. “In my view, the consulate will serve [CPP] political purposes rather than serving the people here. It is placed as their eyes and ears to keep vigilance over the opposition, to see how strong the opposition is, so they can devise a strategy to cope with that.”

Hem Heng rejected the idea. He said the consulate will serve people from all political walks, “so long as they are Cambodians.

“We'll help them all,” he said. “There is no discrimination. Once he begins performing his duties, the consul will be neutral, although he supports the government. It is not set up to counter the opposition.”

Cambodia's parliament approves consular treaty with China

2010-05-07

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua)- Cambodia's National Assembly approved Friday a consular treaty between Kingdom of Cambodia and China to boost cooperation between the two nations.

The approval of the treaty was made unanimously by all 89 out of 123 parliamentarians who were present at the session.

The Cambodian government signed the treaty with China on February 25, 2010 in Phnom Penh.

The treaty was based on the norm of the 1963 Vienna Convention to which Cambodia is a party since 2005.

Hor Namhong, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs told the parliamentarians that the treaty was significant to promote further cooperation between Cambodia and China.

The treaty allows consular officials to make direct contacts with their own citizens who run businesses or work in the country where consular office is located.

It also allows consular officials to work as facilitators or mediators for the citizens or the people of the country where the office is located; as well the officials will help process with visa paperwork and applications for citizenship.

Cambodia and China has had long-term relations, and this treaty will help boost more cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, tourism, culture, science and education among others.

At present, Cambodia has established six Consulate Generals in China, including China's Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Kunming, Chongqing and Nanning, while China has not yet set up the consulate in Cambodia.

Khieu Kanharith personally asks the Cambodian consulate in VN to investigate the case of Monk Tim Sakhorn

Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Following the panic caused by the disappearance of the former abbot of the Phnom Den pagoda, located in Kirivong district, Takeo province, for more than 1-month after his defrocking, the Vietnamese embassy in Cambodia recently indicated that Monk Tim Sakhorn is currently jailed in Vietnam. Regarding this issue, Khieu Kanharith, government spokesman, said on Monday that he personally asked the Cambodian consulate in Prey Nokor (Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnamese) to investigate the case of the jailing of Monk Tim Sakhorn. Khieu Kanharith who is also minister of information, told The Cambodia Daily that he contacted the Cambodian consulate to inquire about the charge against Monk Tim Sakhorn. He said that he is waiting for the consulate to contact him back following its investigation of the case. Khieu Kanharith is also pushing NGOs to visit Monk Tim Sakhorn in jail if they can, but he also told the NGOs that if they are denied access to Monk Tim Sakhorn, they should remain quiet and not protest about this case, in order not to impede the consulate’s work.
------
KI-Media Note: The Cambodia Daily also reported that Trinh Ba Cam, Hanoi’s mouth piece at its embassy in Phnom Penh, said that these was no reason to return Monk Tim Sakhorn back to Cambodia, because he is a Vietnamese citizen and he committed anti-Vietnamese crimes in both Vietnam and Cambodia. Khieu Kanharith claimed that Monk Tim Sakhorn hold dual citizenships: Cambodian and Vietnamese.