Var Kim Hong’s suicide and the “death” of Cambodia: Norodom Sihanouk

https://www.box.com/s/324f026a4a9f7264ba61

UNOFFICIAL ENGLISH TRANSLATION by M. Preuk (on March 17, 2005)

B. M. D.

Norodom Sihanouk

Beijing, March 16, 2005

Nowadays, nobody can deny [the fact] that the “2nd Kingdom” Cambodia had lost a significant part of her land and maritime territorial integrity as compared to her territorial integrity during the 1963-1969 period (with the return of Preah Vihear [to Cambodia by Thailand]).

Nowadays, one knows very well that a large part of our lands and seas dating from 1963-1969 is integrated, without any opposition [from our part], to the “sovereignty” framework of our 3 neighbors (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos) – each one of them having their own share of the Cambodian “cake.”

For example, we find an appreciable number of villages belonging to our People which were located well within the interior of the SRN (Sangkum Reastr Niyum) Cambodia, but are from now on, 3 times “alas!”, well within the interior of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) – SRV – and … they are, of course, well defended by the (invincible) army of our “viet brothers.”

Very recently, Maitre Michel Buisson (Esquire) and his friends were able to note that these “viet brothers” are becoming the owners of Khmer villages – because of their extreme poverty, our Compatriots who are poor had to rent, or, even worse!, sell [their lands] to the “viet brothers”. Maitre Buisson had witnessed that these latter are pushing the “new borders” of “their South Vietnam” well within the interior of “2nd Kingdom” Cambodia.

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It is true, that under the reign of Lon Nol (Khmer Republic), the Vietnamese from South Vietnam (Kampuchea Krom) sent letters to the viets in Svay Rieng by unequivocally writing on the envelope of their respective letters: “Svay Rieng, Vietnam” – sic! –.

It is also true that Nguyen Van Thieu’s army occupying then our Neak Luong, had re-baptized it “Saigon Moi” (New Saigon, in French Noveau-Saigon).

*

* *

Coming back to Maitre Michel Buisson, he saw viet militaries behaving as masters over the Khmers living in the city of Snuol.

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* *

The SRV “created” new borders (to their own benefit) by building during the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, “entry gates” and canals well within the interior of our 1963-1969 borders.

Thailand, on its part, “created” new borders (to their own benefit) by building straight highways which cut a good portion of our legal territory along certain provinces of the “2nd Kingdom” Cambodia. The lands which are closest to Thailand along the highways cited above “belong,” from now on, to the Thai Kingdom.

*

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Nowadays, the fact the team of H.E. Var Kim Hong officially “works” with our 3 neighbors to find out where our borders are is a vivid proof that:

The SRV, the Thai Kingdom, and the Popular Democratic Republic of Laos , absolutely, do not recognize the legitimacy and the legality of Cambodia borders dating from 1963 to 1969 – even though at the Summit Conference of Indochinese People in Canton, the delegations of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam (President Nguyen Huu Tho), of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (Prime Minister Pham Van Dong), of the Neo Lao Hak Xat (Prince Souphanouvong) had, in front of Prime Minister Chou En Lai (People’s Republic of China), formally recognized the 1963-1969 delineation of the Cambodian borders; they even solemnly promised , in the name of their respective countries, nations, and peoples, to always – meaning eternally – respect this delineation of our borders.

Our “2nd Kingdom” Cambodia herself (represented by H.E. Var Kim Hong’s team) accepts to suicide herself by recognizing, even under the eyes of International Law, that Cambodia does not have precise borders.

By officially accepting to re-negotiate the borders issue, our “neo-Angkorian” Cambodia admits, on her own, that she does not know where are her land and maritime borders.

In this respect, the [use of the] word “suicide” is not exaggerated. Because a Country which recognizes that it does have precise and legal borders is a dead Country.

Signed: Norodom Sihanouk

Var Kim Hong dared to present me with a falsified geographic map of our Country (Cambodia): Sihanouk

Unofficial translation from French by KI-Media

BMD

NORODOM SIHANOUK

Phnom Penh, 18 December 2004

Certain VIPS stated that “King (Second reign between 1993-2004), I (Norodom Sihanouk) did not respect certain stipulations, certain articles of our 1993 Constitution.”

Here are my responses to the accusations and criticisms leveled against the so-called “non-application” by King Norodom Sihanouk on the stipulations and articles of the 1993 Constitution:

1. I start by mentioning the VIOLATIONS of the constitutional rights by Men in Power during the 2nd Kingdom of Cambodia (1993-2001):

First, National Congress was never allowed to be held, unlike what it was under the SRN (Sangkum Reastr Niyum) era.

Second, all peaceful demonstrations were banned; furthermore, demonstrators and protesters who were only exercising their constitutional rights were repressed – with “deadly means”.

Third, Coup d’Etat was held against the winners of the legislative elections.

Fourth, the 1991 Paris Agreements, which forbid the “validation” of the unequal treaties between the Republic Socialist of Vietnam and the People’s Republic of Kampuchea – aka State of Cambodia – over the (false) territorial integrity (land and sea) of Cambodia, were violated.

Fifth, H.E. Var Kim Hong dared to present me with a falsified geographic map of our Country (Cambodia), a map which he affirmed (in fact he was lying) to be a map from the SRN era.

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* *

2. I did not meet twice a month with Leaders or members of the RGC (Royal Government of Cambodia) because I was already very aware of the (true) situation and (the truly alarming) problems faced by Cambodia, the “new Country of Angkor”. In fact, first of all, TVK – which I watch day and night – already gave me the “version advanced by the government” of things and people in our country.

Furthermore, I already knew the true situation and the true problems faced by the “neo-Angkorian Kampuchea” by reading about them on “Cambodge Soir”, the “Cambodia Daily”, the “Bangkok Post”, “The Nation” (Bangkok) – all of which I received and read them regularly.

Since my years at the Preah Sutharot elementary school and up to now (2004), I was never a lazy person who neglects his work.

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3. I never presided over the Supreme Council of Magistracy because the 1993 Constitution made me assume responsibilities which did not correspond to the principle of non-power.

A king “rules but not governs” could not be held responsible for the Corruption and the injustices of our Judicial System, nor the loss of territorial Integrity.

I asked on several occasions for modification to the 1993 Constitution so that the King (who has no power) should not have to bear such responsibilities. However, it was in vain.

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My conclusion: History will judge me, as well as Others.

(Signed) Norodom Sihanouk

Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos speed up border demarcation to create a "triangle economic zone"

sVar Kimhong showing off map of the proposed triangle economic zone

Monday, 20 June 2011
By Khmerization
Source: FPMOnline
Click here to read the original article in Khmer

The Cambodian, Vietnamese and Laotian governments are speeding up border demarcations between the three countries in order to create a "triangle economic zone" on the border in Cambodia's Ratanakiri province.

The agreement draws strong criticism from the Cambodian oppositions as they think that to demarcate the borders in such a hurry, without proper consultation and studies, would cause Cambodia to lose territory.

Last Thursday, 16th June, the Cambodian parliament voted to support the agreement with 83 MPs out of 100 MPs attended supporting it.

Mr. Var Kimhong, Cambodian chairman of Border Committee, said this is a historic agreement. "This convention is the fairest basis for the three countries to create a peaceful and cooperative triangle economic zone", he said.

Cambodia rejects bilateral negotiations with Thailand

01 March 2011
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Soch

Cambodian government officials rejected news about bilateral border negotiations between Cambodia and Thailand on 07-08 March in Indonesia. The news was announced by Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva. Senior minister Var Kim Hong, chairman of the Cambodian government border committee, indicated that the claim made by Thailand on the border meeting is nothing more than a subterfuge to fool the international opinion. Var Kim Hong declared that the reason Thailand made this claim was to show that the bilateral mechanism to resolve the border dispute between the two countries is still under way. However, in reality, the bilateral mechanism between the two countries on border problems cannot take place because the Thai parliament refused to ratify 3 documents to that effect.

sVar Kim Hong: Border planting could encroach into Cambodia by 15 km and into Vietnam by 15 km (sic!)

sVar Kim Hong

01 Dec 2010
By Pech Bandol
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Click here to read the article in Khmer

During a press conference to announce the bidding for the printing of border maps between Cambodia and Vietnam – the delimitation of which is not even completed yet – Var Kim Hong told reporters that that the planting of border posts at certain locations encroaches into Cambodian territories, and in some other locations, they encroach into Vietnam, these encroachments could be as much as 15 km. Var Kim Hong, the chairman of the government border committee, did not indicate why these encroachments take place, he only said that this is a technical issue.

In the morning of 01 December 2010, Var Kim Hong said that the planting of border posts delimiting Cambodia and Vietnam is only 61% complete, i.e. about 200 of the 370 posts have been installed. The bidding price for the printing of border maps between the two countries ranges between $1.5 million and $4.5 million.

According to Var Kim Hong, there are 5 foreign companies – French, Japanese, Korean and American – that are participating in the bidding. However, the border committee from the two countries, the Vietnamese member of which is Nguyen Mong Hao, did not decide which company to select yet. Var Kim Hong said that he wants to see the printing of the new maps to take place soon, i.e. no longer than 2 weeks from now. He said that there is no complication because the planting of border posts is done according to plan already agreed upon, and that it will be completed in 2012.

It is not known for sure whether the newly printed border maps will be deposited at the UN to replace the old border maps which was deposited by the Sihanouk regime in 1964 or not. According to Var Kim Hong, the planting of border posts was performed by the Khmer-Yuon border commission, along the 1,270-km-long border extending from Ratanakiri down to Kampot province, along the Gulf of Siam.

Nevertheless, this morning, the Cambodian public, as well as civil society organizations have expressed their surprise and concern to learn that the encroachment into Cambodian territories could be as deep as 15 km.

They are also wondering why when the encroachments are made into the Yuon territory, there is no information about them. This shows that Cambodia could lose up to 15 km of territory to Vietnam from this border post planting.

Who Has “forged” Public Documents?

October 16, 2010

WHO HAS “FORGED” PUBLIC DOCUMENTS?

On September 23, 2010 opposition leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced to ten years in prison for “forgery of public documents” and “dissemination of false information.”

The accusation of disseminating false information has been dealt with in the SRP October 15, 2010 statement titled “Who is disseminating false information?” http://tinyurl.com/332mhec

The accusation of forging public documents is related to a French-era 1:100,000 map posted on the Sam Rainsy Party website which has an “unusual” grid on it http://tinyurl.com/yeaoxyf. The Government accuses Sam Rainsy of adding the grid to the original map, therefore falsifying the document. They point to the grid by using the French word "carreaux" while the technical term in both English and French is UTM graticule.

Sam Rainsy has actually used and shown both French-made maps and US-made maps to show that they corroborate one another regarding border delimitation between Cambodia and Vietnam .

The Cambodian government “experts” wouldn’t have made any accusation against Sam Rainsy about the grid, had they first read this explanation by Colonel Edward G. Anderson, Jr. of Corp of Engineers, United State Army (excerpt from "Mapping in Southeast Asia", in The Military Engineers, March-April 1969, page 232): "You would notice the Minutes mention the use of UTM (grid) on 1:100,000 French-made maps. The UTM (standard military grid) with marginal data in English was overprinted on the French maps by the US Army since outbreak of WW II. NATO, France included, adopted UTM grid after 1945."

Var Kim Hong, the head of the Government Border Committee, did not get the point when he said in his accusation against Sam Rainsy at a February 22, 2010 press conference, “'French are ignorant of UTM grid (map making).”

Ironically enough, Var Kim Hong has been accused by King-Father Norodom Sihanouk of falsifying the very same 1:100,000 French-made maps showing the border line between Cambodia and Vietnam, "H.E. Var Kim Hong dared to show me a falsified geographic map of Cambodia, which he deceitfully claimed to be a map [from the pre-war period 1953-1970]." http://tinyurl.com/33xv5jh

SRP Members of Parliament

• Definition of "graticule" in the Merriam-Webster dictionary: The network of lines of latitude and longitude upon which a map is drawn.
• Definition of "UTM" in Wikipedia: The Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinate system is a grid-based method of specifying locations on the surface of the Earth that is a practical application of a 2-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. It is a horizontal position representation, i.e. it is used to identify locations on the earth independently of vertical position, but differs from the traditional method of latitude and longitude in several respects. The UTM system is not a single map projection. The system instead employs a series of sixty zones, each of which is based on a specifically defined secant transverse Mercator projection.

SRP “not surprised” by the government’s lawsuit against Sam Rainsy

28 Feb 2010
By Pen Bona
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

SRP officials claimed that the lawsuit by the government stemming from the publication of documents by opposition leader Sam Rainsy is not surprising even though the new accusations could carry quite severe sentences. Furthermore, the opposition leader does not seem to seek a lawyer to prepare documents for his defense in court either. Lawsuit against Sam Rainsy was sent to the Phnom Penh municipal court last Friday.

“It’s not surprising,” this is the general reaction from the majority of SRP officials when asked about the new lawsuit brought up by the government against Sam Rainsy last Friday. Chung Chou-ngy, Sam Rainsy’s defense lawyer, said that he was not contacted by Sam Rainsy or by the SRP for him to prepare the defense in this case.

The government lawyer brought two additional accusations against Sam Rainsy following the Svay Rieng provincial court sentencing him to two-year of jail time for “destruction of public properties” and “incitation to racial discrimination” for his involvement in the uprooting of border stakes in Svay Rieng province. The new lawsuit brought up by Ky Tech on Friday, accused Sam Rainsy of “publication of false information” and “falsification of public documents.” These two charges could carry a sentence of up to 15-year of jail time.

The accusations were made after Sam Rainsy published map documents to confirm that numerous border posts in Svay Rieng were planted inside Cambodian territory. The opposition leader accused the government of losing Cambodian territories to the benefit of Vietnam. However, Var Kim Hong, the chairman of the government border committee, called these maps fake documents because the coordinates used in the maps are not located on their actual locations.

The new accusations which carry quite severe sentence bring concerns on the future of the SRP. Even though a large number of people still hope for a political resolution, this affair brings uncertainty on the political life of Sam Rainsy and that of his opposition party.

The betrayal started with the illegal border treaties with Vietnam: Op-Ed by Angkor Borey News

Click on the article in Khmer to zoom in

Som Niyeay Phorng - Editorial by Angkor Borey News

Click on the article in Khmer to zoom in

Var Kim Hong couldn't even say "Vietnamese" encroachment

(Photo: Sovannara, Radio France Internationale)

Click here to listen to Var Kim Hong's Press Conference (MP3)

Fire Mr. Var Kim Hong And His Team

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Tue, 23 Feb 2010
Op-Ed by Pretty Ma

Unable to control damaging evidences laid out by the opposition lawmakers, and facing new scientific data indicating that there were actual farming land ceded to Vietnam, Mr. Var Kim Hong and the government of Cambodia, instead of answering to legal questions raised by opposition lawmakers, have now threatened to take further legal actions against the right honorable Sam Rainsy, leader of the official opposition. Could this be considered as a desperate attempt on the part of the government to control the damage which has already dealt a blow to its own credibility and inability to protect Cambodian territorial integrity?

It is quite unusual for any country, when dealing with national issue such critically important as border demarcation, to proceed with such a tight control environment, in highly partisan manner, without given considerations to concerns from other segment of the population, including independent organization such as the one represented by HE Seang Peng Se. The CPP-led government shuts out all interest groups, experts on the border issue, and moved ahead with its own hidden agenda to quickly facilitate and implement the border encroachment policy initiated by Vietnam. As a result, Cambodian land has been compromised to Vietnam at the expense of Cambodian farmers. Worst of all, the Cambodian authority has immorally convicted their own people in order to appease the foreign land grabber - that is almost unheard of in any country in the world.

Mr. Var Kim Hong and his entire Border Commission officials owe Cambodian people and their country a real due. Come clean and explain the truth as required under the law. The government of Cambodia must now allow Cambodian and international experts to visit areas as identified by the opposition claimed.

The credibility of the Border Commission is highly tainted and its works are now very questionable since Cambodian territory has been seriously compromised.

The best way to perhaps control the Cambodian government's damage is to either fire Mr. Var Kim Hong and his incompetent team or to simply ask for Mr. Var Kim Hong to turn in his resignation.

Trying to silence the truth by more legal actions would only bring more backlash to this government's own motive and credibility which is now clearly in question.

A Country that recognizes that she has no precise and legal border, is a dead Country: Sihanouk

Click on the French and Khmer version to zoom in

Translated from French by Luc Sâr

BMD
Norodom Sihanouk

Beijing, 16 March 2005

Nowadays, nobody can deny the fact that Cambodia’s “2nd Kingdom” lost an important part of her territorial integrity – both on land and at seas – when compared to her territorial integrity from the period of 1963 to 1969 (1963 was the year of the return of Preah Vihear back to Cambodia).

Nowadays, one knows very well that a large chunk of our lands and seas dating from the 1963-1969 period is without a doubt integrated into the framework of the so-called “sovereignty” of our 3 neighbors (Thailand, Vietnam and Laos), each of which grabbing a piece of the Cambodian “cake.”

For example, we find a non negligible number of our People’s villages that were well within the SRN [Sangkum Reastr Niyum] Cambodia and that are now – Alas! Alas! Alas! – well inside the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV or South Vietnam) and … they are well defended by the (invincible) army of our “Viet brothers.”

Very recently, Maitre [French Lawyer] Michel Buisson and his friends noticed that these “Viet brothers” became the owner of Khmer villages which, because of their extreme poverty, our Compatriots from the Small People [ordinary citizen] had to lease or, in some even worst cases, had to sell to the “Viet brothers” whom Maitre Buisson saw them with his own eyes pushing the “new borders” of “their South Vietnam” well inside [the borders] of Cambodia’s “2nd Kingdom”.

o
o o

It is true, that under Lon Nol’s reign (the Khmer Republic), the Vietnamese from “South Vietnam” ([the former Cambodian territory of] Kampuchea Krom) sent letters to the Viets in Svay Rieng with the unambiguous labeling on the envelopes of their letters: “Svay Rieng, Vietnam” –sic! –

And it is true that Nguyen Van Thieu’s [the former president of South Vietnam] Army then-occupying our Neak Loeung had purely and simply renamed it: “Saigon Moi” (New Saigon).

o
o o

To go back to Maitre Michel Buisson, he saw Viet soldiers acting as masters in the Khmer city of Snuol which belongs to the Khmers.

o
o o

The SRV had created new borders (to its benefit) by building during the 80s, 90s and 2000s, “border gates” and canals well within our 1963-1969 borders.

On the other hand, Thailand created new borders (to its benefit) by building rectilinear highways cutting off a good chunk of our legal territory in some provinces of Cambodia’s “2nd Kindom”. The lands that are located the closest to Thailand along each of the highways cited above now “belong” to the Thai Kingdom.

o
o o

Nowadays, the fact that H.E. Var Kim Hong’s team officially “works” with our 3 neighbors to find out where our Khmer borders are, is a shining proof of the following:

1- The SRV, the Kingdom of Thailand and the People’s Republic of Laos do absolutely not recognize the legitimacy and the legality of Cambodia’s borders dating from 1963-1969 (and, this in spite of the fact that, during the Summit Conference of the Indochinese People held in Canton, the delegations of the PRG [Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, i.e. the Vietcong government] (led by President Nguyen Huu Tho) and the DRVN [Democratic Republic of Viet Nam] (led by Prime Minister Pham Van Dong) and the NLHS [Nev Lao Hak Sat] of Laos (led by Prince Souphanouvong) formally and solemnly recognized in front of Prime Minister Chou En Lai (from the PRC) and me (the legal Head of State of Cambodia) the 1963-1969 drawn borders of Cambodia, and they promised, not less solemnly, in the name of their respective countries, nations and people, to respect forever, i.e. eternally, the drawing of our borders.

2- Our Cambodia “2nd Kingdom” (represented by H.E. Var Kim Hong’s team) accepts on its own to commit suicide by recognizing, even in the eyes of International Law, that Cambodia has no precise borders.

By officially accepting to re-negotiate our border issues, our “neo-Angkorian” Cambodia admits on her own that she does not know where our land and maritime borders are.

In this regard, the use of the word “suicide” is not exaggerated at all. Because a Country that recognizes that she has no precise and legal border, is a dead Country.

(Signed) Norodom Sihanouk

Treaty Signed Under The Guns

Vietnamese occupation troops in Cambodia

Friday, November 20, 2009
Op-Ed by Anonymous

I listened to His Excellency Var Kim Hong's explanation on the border issue with keen interest. What got me thinking most was the way he based his committee's works around the signed treaty of 1985, between a Vietnamese installed regime, signed under barrels of the guns and only to be re-signed again in 2005. Here right away, one should understand that we start this process from negative - some lands along the border had already been initially signed away to Vietnam since that 1985 deal.

The Cambodian people must demand that treaty of 1985 be trashed. This particular treaty is not legit since it was signed under occupation of 275,000 Vietnamese troops. This government at the time was not legitimate, or ever recognized by the United Nations. Therefore, the treaty is a one-sided story. Unfortunately, as a result of such illegal act, Cambodians along the border areas have already lost much of their productive land to Vietnam. Case in point, just listening to the actual people and victims of land loss who called in to point out areas and villages that ceeded to Vietnam since January 7, 1979. For example, Mr. Sothea from Kompong Cham called in to point out to His Excellency Var that there were land losses at sruk Meh Muth in Phum Che Kech, Prek Sla and Chrok Kreng due to Vietnam encroachment policy. In this recent event in Chantrea district, the government still continues to deny the facts even when poles were planted deep inside the land of our farmers. You can hear the pleas and testimonies on RFA from the victims themselves, but not in the eyes and ears of this highly pro-Vietnam government. What more do Mr. Var needs to hear or see in order to know that Cambodian farmers along the border are being subjected to Vietnamese aggressive policy of land's confiscation?

When asked about old map, old treaty of independence, Mr. Var Kim Hong pointed out that there are some issues with map selections in applying to his works. He questioned to a certain extend the validity and viability of the French maps recorded during and after Cambodia's independence of 1953. He refused to work with a Cambodian expert on border issue, Mr. Seng Peang Se, because Mr. Seng is not part of the government agency. Given the knowledge and expertise of Mr. Seng on the issue, one has to wonder why the government is keeping Mr. Seng out of the process. One because, I am sure Mr. Seng would have pointed out or insisted on where the borderline should be properly marked based on his own past records and understanding. Now, one has to wonder why Mr. Var Kim Hong and his CPP-lead government do not want a Cambodian expert on border issue to be a part of the committee? It seems rather odd for a responsible government to not seek advice of a highly respectable expert and scholar on this issue. The more His Excellency laid out his case in defense of his works, he gave me the impression that we can not trust the French map, but Vietnam's redrawing one. One caller asked, Mr. Poeu Pheap, "Why poles were always allowed to plant deep inside Cambodian territory?"

On the question of the Paris Peace Accord 1991, the government gave very little significance to the signed documents concerning territorial integrty of which Vietnam was one of the signatories. It was just not something can be referred to on this particular matter. The Cambodian government does not want to refer to the 1953's map because in its view that it's not doable since it could create some problems with our neighbors. So, it prefers to continue its appeasement policy while Cambodian farmers along the Eastern frontier continue to face their future of uncertainties as a result of on-going land confiscation.

As I say again and again with conviction and understanding that, when it comes to defending the interests of Cambodians and our nation, Sam Rainsy Party is there. But, when it comes to defending Vietnam's interests and its territorial expansionism policy, you know who or what I am talking about.

One thing that we have be clear is that we do not have any qualms or whatsoever with the people of Vietnam. We do, however, have certained issues related to Vietnam's hegemonic policy as evidently shown in this case of recent land encroachment activities in Chantrea.

Thailand cannot cancel MoUs - Cambodia

Tue, November 10, 2009
The Nation and Deutsche Presse Agentur

Cambodia insists on Tuesday Thailand could not revoke a Thai-Cambodian memorandum of understanding on joint oil and gas exploration because the move would be against international laws.

Var Kimhong, head of Cambodia's border commission, said, "I could not find any term in these articles that allows the Thai side to terminate on its own without the consent of the (Cambodian) side," he said.

"No single article allows one side to terminate."

Var Kimhong was speaking shortly after the Thai cabinet on Tuesday agreed its foreign ministry's proposal to cancel the MoUs on joint oil and gas exploration.

The move is part of the series of Thai protests after Cambodia appointed Thaksin as economic adviser to its premier and government last week. Bangkok is upset that Cambodia declared it would not extradite Thaksin to Thailand to serve the two-year jail term if requested.

Following the appointment, Thailand recalled its ambassador, downgraded the relations and reviewed mutual cooperations.

Thaksin arrived in Phnom Penh on Tuesday and he was scheduled to give a lecture on economy issues on Thursday.

Cambodian-Thai border demarcation still at an impasse: Cambodian official

Var Kim Hong speaking to reporters (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

05 September 2009
By Savyuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

A Cambodian border official said that the demarcation of the priority zones along the Cambodian-Thai border is still at an impasse in spite of the fact that, recently, reports indicated that the Thai parliament met to approve the border negotiation meeting between Cambodia and Thailand, as well as with other Thai neighboring countries.

Var Kim Hong, chairman of the Cambodian government border resolution committee, said on Saturday 05 September that, right now, information published from Bangkok, Thailand, about the Cambodian-Thai border cannot be trusted.

Var Kim Hong added that, as for the step leading to the border demarcation along priority zones, Cambodia is already prepared for it, but obstacles prevent this issue from moving forward as Cambodia must wait for Thailand to obtain its parliament approval first.

Var Kim Hong said: “I did not receive the official confirmation as to whether they [Thai parliament] approved it or not, I did no see it yet. Now, information from Bangkok cannot be trusted anymore, their information is in shamble in the past few days and we know this already. They said they would review it yesterday, I don’t know if they reviewed it or not, we don’t know for sure. On Friday, they said they’d review or maybe Monday, we don’t know. Therefore, how can we ask about the border demarcation if there is no approval, we don’t have any plan to plant the border markers according to the Thai constitution.”

Var Kim Hong’s reaction took place after local Thai news media reported that Thai parliament met to approve the Thai government’s border negotiation with Cambodia, as well as with a number of other Thai neighboring countries.

Thailand’s The Nation reported on 02 September that Thailand’s parliament met to decide on the negotiations between the Cambodian-Thai Joint Border Committee, in order to provide security and order along the border. This decision took place following a request made by the Thai ministry of Defense based on Article 190 of Thailand’s constitution.

Cambodian troops who are confronting the Thai troops on top of the Chak Chreng hill, near Preah Vihear temple, said on Saturday morning also that the situation of the confrontation between troops of both countries in the past 10 days has improved, and troops can hold joint patrols and they also ate with each others. Nevertheless, concerns remain because the border dispute is not resolved yet.

Cambodian troops indicated: “The situation is calmer than before, i.e. we understand that the situation is moving well. A few days ago, they [troops] ate together, but, as far as our concerns, we still have them. It’s normal when countries have differences.”

The border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand took place when Thailand sent in several hundreds of its troops to invade Cambodia’s Wat Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak pagoda, as well as a number of other regions in July 2008. Government officials from both countries met to negotiate several times already, but there was no good outcome to these meetings.

Vietnam-Cambodia land border committee meets

12/03/2009
VietNamNet/VNA

VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee on Land Border Demarcation and Marker Planting held their third-round meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on March 11 and 12.

The two sides reviewed the demarcation of land border between the two countries from 2006 up to present and worked out measures to implement the master plan on demarcation for from 2009-2012 period.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Ho Xuan Son, Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Ministry’s National Border Committee while the Cambodian delegation was led by Var Kim Hong, and Senior Minister and Government Advisor for border issues. Ho Xuan Son and Var Kim Hong are co-chairmen of the joint committee.

Thailand moves border markers 150 metres deep inside Khmer territories in Battambang province

Radio Free Asia
By Sophal Mony
1st March, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization

Khmer border police reported that Thailand had moved border markers deep inside Khmer territories at Phnom Preuk (Morning Mountain) in Battambang opposite Klong Hat district of Thailand.

Khmer border forces said that Thai soldiers had moved border markers at Phnom Ta Luos and Phnom Boek Tball at Phnom Preuk village in Battambang province opposite Klong Hat district in Thailand's Sakeo province.

Commander of battalion 817, Mr. Srey Sokhon, said that the encroachments were found out when he compared Cambodian map to the Thai map.

He said that Cambodia uses the 1961 map and found that Thailand had moved border markers inside Khmer terriotries at various points. He said that some points they had moved in 40 metres, 70 metres and 150 metres deep inside Khmer territories.

Mr. Sieng Southorng, governor of Battambang province, said that this problem occurred since 1996 during the re-integration of Khmer Rouge forces, but said that the government did not compare the maps because it is the job of the Military Region Five.

He said, according to the Military Region Five, Thailand had indeed moved the markers deep inside Khmer terriotries.

Mr. Sieng Bouthorng said that provincial authority cannot resolve this issue with Thailand, only the Cambodian Border Committee can.

Mr. Var Kim Hong (pictured), chairman of Cambodian Border Committee, said that he had not received the information yet. He said that the Military Region Five and the provincial authority should report to his committee and Interior Ministry about the encroachments. He said:"Please report to us, so we can help."

According to the commander of battalion 817, Thailand had encroached deep inside Khmer territories 40 metres, 70 metres and 150 metres at some points to the length of 3250 metres along the borders at Phnom Preuk. He also said that Thai soldiers had built a paved road cutting through Khmer territories at Phnom Ta Luos and Phnom Boek Tball opposite Klong Hat of Thailand's Sakoe province.

Top negotiator doubts new sea border talks will solve dispute

Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Written by Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

Var Kimhong points out that 2001 working group similar to that announced Monday failed to demarcate Thai-Cambodian sea border.

CAMBODIA'S top border negotiator questioned Tuesday whether talks between Cambodia and Thailand regarding the countries' disputed sea border could lead to an actual agreement and official demarcation.

Following a meeting Monday between Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, Hor Namhong announced that a joint technical working group charged with demarcating the sea border would be established in March at the latest. The exact date depends on when the Thai Cabinet could approve the head of its side of the group.

But Var Kimhong, Cambodia's top border negotiator, said the announcement did not amount to a major breakthrough in the dispute, as the two countries had already created a working group in 2001 in a failed attempt to settle their disagreement.

"The problem is that Thailand always changes the leader of its government, so we have to restart discussion of the issue with a new person," he said. "We are already prepared to work on this issue but we're waiting for the Thai side."

He said the Cambodian side of the working group, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, remained in place.

Thailand and Cambodia both assert claims over some 27,000 square kilometres of disputed maritime territory in the Gulf of Thailand that is believed to contain significant amounts of oil and gas reserves. An overseas subsidiary of American energy giant Chevron Corp holds a 55-percent interest in a Cambodian section of the Gulf of Thailand covering 6,278 kilometres.

A more positive take

Phay Siphan, spokesman and secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, had a more positive outlook on the announced talks, saying the two governments have previously focused almost exclusively on the land border to the detriment of maritime talks.

He said that government officials would now begin researching the various memorandum of understanding and treaties relating to the disputed maritime territory in preparation for the talks.

In addition to the announcement of new dialogue on border issues, the foreign ministers also announced Monday an agreement to scale back the number of troops remaining from last year's escalation at the temple.

Cambodia and Thailand might meet for border talks in January 2009

Agreements to withdraw Thai troops reached in the Siem Reap talks on 12th November, 2008 between Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat (L) and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong (R) are awaiting the approval of the Thai parliament.

Radio Free Asia
By Sav Yuth
25th December, 2008
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

Cambodian officials said that the Khmer-Thai Joint Boundary Commission plans to meet for border talks in January next year.

Government officials said that the Khmer-Thai Joint Boundary Commission plans to meet in January after the border talks between the two countries have stalled due to the political crisis and the change of government in Thailand.

Chairman of the Cambodian Border Commission, Mr. Var Kim Hong, said on 25th December that he had received news from the Thai Foreign Ministry through the Thai embassy that all the documents agreed with Cambodia recently will be put to the Thai parliament for approval which will be convened at the end of January next year.

Mr. Var Kim Hong said that the next Khmer-Thai border talks will be held in Thailand but added that there is no timetable yet because they have to wait for the Thai parliament to approve the previous documents first.

Mr. Var Kim Hong said: “The meeting for talks on land boundary issues will be held in Thailand but there is no timetable for the actual planting of the border pillars have been decided yet.”

Mr. Var Kim Hong said he doesn’t know what the results of the talks will be because he doesn’t know about the stance of the new Thai government regarding the issues. But he added that currently, Thailand has a real government which he hopes this new government will continue to work with Cambodia on resolving the border issues.

Recently, the newly-elected prime minister of Thailand, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, said that his government will work hard to resolve the border issues with Cambodia.

Mr. Hor Namhong, foreign minister of Cambodia, has said that during the third border talks in Siem Reap on 12th November, 2008, he had requested for the withdrawals of all Thai troops from Wat Keo Sekhakirisvarak pagoda and the areas surrounding the Preah Vihear temple.

Mr. Hor Namhong said: “Cambodia had requested Thailand to withdraw all their troops from Wat Keo Sekhakirisvarak, from the areas around the pagoda and from the vicinity of the pagoda. It means that they have to withdraw much further then their present positions. Regarding the troops withdrawal, we told them that after the Thai parliament approved the agreements we all will start the withdrawals."

There are reports that, in Tatum and Anlong Veng areas in Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodian troops are on high alert because Thai troops are staging military drills in the areas.

Fresh talks on border squabble

Tharit: Patience is essential
[How much patience does Cambodia need?]

Tuesday November 04, 2008
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post

THAI-CAMBODIAN ROW

Thailand and Cambodia will hold border talks next week followed by a meeting of foreign ministers in a fresh attempt to resolve the land border dispute.

The Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) has been set for Monday and Tuesday in Siem Reap, and the disputed 4.6-square-kilometre area surrounding Preah Vihear temple is high on the agenda, foreign affairs spokesman Tharit Charungwat said yesterday.

Mr Tharit said patience was needed. An agreement could not be expected overnight, despite the best intentions to resolve the problem through bilateral negotiations.

"I'm glad both sides have agreed to bilateral talks, but we all must exercise restraint because many rounds of talks can be expected," said Mr Tharit.

Field survey teams from both countries may be going to the borders during the talks, he added.

Both countries claim sovereignty over the disputed area. Thailand says it is in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket, but Cambodia insists it is part of its Preah Vihear province.

The JBC meeting comes after parliament last week approved a negotiation framework with Cambodia.

Vasin Teeravechyan, the retired Thai ambassador to South Korea, heads the Thai team to the JBC meeting. He yesterday attended the preparatory meeting at the Foreign Ministry.

The Cambodian side is led by Senior Minister Var Kim Hong.

Mr Tharit said Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong will meet on Nov 12 in Siem Reap after the JBC forum.

He said Cambodia may also raise other disputed areas, such as Ta Muean Thom and Ta Kwai temples, during the ministerial talks, as it had previously intended to at the last meeting in August.