Religious Cooperation Agreement ... with an atheist communist state?

Cambodia, Vietnam Sign Religious Cooperation Agreement

By Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
10 December 2007

Sun Kim Hun, Cambodian secretary of state for the Ministry Religions and Cults, said Saturday the government had signed an agreement with Vietnam's Committee of Religious Affairs to strengthen bilateral cooperation on Buddhism.

The agreement was signed during the five-day visit of the Vietnamese delegation of Religious Affairs officials.

Sun Kim Hun said the agreement between the two countries focuses on the exchange of materials and technical assistance as well as the study exchanges.

"The agreement focuses only on Buddhism between Vietnam and Cambodia to communicate with each other," Sun Kim Hun said. "At least once a year there will be an exchange of monks."

Vietnamese Embassy spokesman Trinh Ba Cam said the agreement would strengthen relations between the two Buddhist countries.

The agreement comes as Vietnamese authorities are accused of abusing the rights of Khmer Kampuchea Krom monks, including the jailing of defrocked monk Tim Sakhorn.

Ang Chanrith, director of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human Rights Organization, urged both sides to cooperate for "the sake of their national interests, and not to suppress their own people."

VN and Cambodia religious cooperation: Another subterfuge to arrest more Bhuddist Khmer Krom Monks and Christian Montagnards?

Vietnam and Cambodia continue with religious co-operation

December 6, 2007
VNA (Hanoi)

Vietnam and Cambodia’s government authorities on religion agreed to continue to co-ordinate in the management of religious activities and make religions an important element of building peace and stability in each country.

A memorandum of understanding was inked by Cambodian Minister of Cult and Religion Khun Haing and the Vietnamese Government’s Committee for Religious Affairs Head Nguyen The Doanh in Phnom Penh on December 6.

The two groups also agreed to provide each other with spiritual, material and technical assistance, share religious material and exchange more visits and study tours.

They pledged to work together in boosting co-operation in religious affairs with other partners of countries in the region and the world.

Earlier, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in the Council of Ministers Sok An gave a reception for Vietnamese religious officials.

The Cambodian Deputy PM said he was satisfied by progress in the two government religious management organs’ relationship and said he hoped ties grow further and contribute to cementing the two countries’ relations.

On December 5, Vietnamese religious officials had a working session with their counterparts from the Cambodian Ministry of Cult and Religion.

During the five-day visit, the Vietnamese officials plan to visit Cambodia ’s Buddhist leaders, Sangharaja Tep Vong and Sangharaja Bour Kri.