maps

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 576

“Phnom Penh: The government of Cambodia sent another working group to Vietnam to continue the negotiations regarding the setting of land border markers, while Siamese [Thai] troops continue to invade the west of Cambodia.

“Early this week, Mr. Var Kim Hong [the head of the Cambodian Border Committee] and Mr. Long Visalo [Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs] led a border working group to Vietnam to discuss details of the border markings, mutually agreed at the end of 2006, in order to put land border markers as agreed previously.

“An official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that during one-day negotiations on 28 August 2008, Cambodia and Vietnam agreed to finish setting 100 land border markers by the end of 2008.

“The official continued that the 1,270 km land border between Cambodia and Vietnam will be marked with more than 300 border markers, both on land and on the sea. The maps for the discussion used by both working groups are based on 1:100,000 scale maps. The maps will be used as basis for the discussions with Vietnam and Laos, in order to mark the unclear border points along the borders of both countries.

“As for the maps for the discussions and as reference with Siam [Thailand], they are based on the international French and Siamese maps or the 100/200,000 map [sic! – though this is maybe not correct, as it is not a usual scale, and it is also not probable that an old, but very detailed 1:2,000 map exists of the whole borderline, made at the time when France was the colonial power in Cambodia and negotiated with Thailand]. However, the official said that to put border markers at the Cambodian and Vietnamese border, and border markers at the Cambodian and Laotian border is easy to be achieved, because Vietnam and Laos recognize the maps mentioned above. As for Siam, it bases its arguments on the maps made between Siam and France without any discussion with Cambodia [because at that time, there was no Cambodian government, but the French held the state authority]. This is the point why Cambodia does not accept the demands by the Siamese side.

“Mr. Var Kim Hong, the head of the Cambodian Border Committee, reported to Kampuchea Thmey that the Cambodian working group visiting Vietnam early last week signed an agreement on the points of convergence between Cambodia and Vietnam, and between Cambodia and Laos. ‘We met as the working groups of the three countries, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos, to discuss about the setting of 100 border markers by the end of 2008. During this meeting, we wanted to speed up the marking of the border lines of the three countries according to each stage.’

“Mr. Var Kim Hong added, ‘We will continue to study to set more than 300 border markers between Cambodia and Vietnam, according to our legal policies and the Indochina Scale Map. During the meeting we confirmed to fulfill more of the agreements of early 2005. Nevertheless, Cambodia is optimistic that solutions for the Cambodian and Vietnamese border, and for the Cambodian and Laotian border are easy to be discussed, because we depend on [intergovernmental] memorandums of understanding.’

“An official of the government said that after the working groups of the three countries agreed about common maps, ‘we will use instruments receiving the data of the Global Positioning System – GPS – by pressing at the locator button [to identify the location]; for some points – the three sides said – if the GPS shows that Cambodia extends into Vietnamese territory, and in some areas Vietnam extends into Cambodia – and similarly for Laos – then each side will have to withdraw from those points.’

“As for the border between Cambodia and Siam, Mr. Var Kim Hong said that ‘we now cannot say how to solve it, because negotiations are stalled.’ He added, “We have sufficient maps as references, but we cannot talk now, because the negotiations cannot proceed, as there is a crisis in Siam’ [which started some days ago]. He went on to say that he is still confident that Cambodia and Thailand can solve their dispute.

“Although the government of Cambodia hopes the borders between Cambodia and Siam can be clearly established, Siam still continues to invade Cambodia with no end. Though now a crisis erupted in their country, they still let their troops invade Cambodia along the border.” Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1735, 2.9.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Tuesday, 2 September 2008

Chakraval, Vol.16, #2807, 2.8.2008

• Boeng Kak Lake Residents Protest at Municipal Office Demanding a Solution from the Company Before Soil Is Pumped in [1 September 2008]

In spite of the concerns of Prime Minister Hun Sen and of the President of the Natinal Assembly Heng Samrin, this lake may disappear – see also the editorial of the previous Sunday: Click here to have a look at the last editoria.

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1735, 2.8.2008

• Cambodia and Vietnam Agree to Finish Setting Border Markers by the End of 2008, while Siam Continues to Invade in the West
• Political Crisis in Siam [Thailand] Leads to a Complete Deadlock

Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #88, 2.8.2008

• People Demand Municipality Stop Filling Boeng Kak Lake
• Forest Crimes Increase in Batheay District [Kompong Cham]

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3554, 2.8.2008

• Income from Oil Will Benefit Only Leaders and Corrupt Officials
• Siamese Troops Enter and Build Base, 2 km inside of Khmer Land at Dangrek Mountains [Oddar Meanchey]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4683, 2.8.2008

• Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha Will Complain to the International Community after the Announcement of the Election Results Today
• National Election Committee Did Better Than UNTAC Did [United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia 1992/93]; the National Election Committee Counted Votes Immediately After Elections [says National Election Committee chairperson Im Suorsdey]

Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.15, #3399, 2.8.2008

• Mystery of the Cobra Two Karaoke Parlor: Women Working there [are required to] Wear No Underwear [Kien Svay, Kandal]

Click here to have a look at the last editorial – will the Prime Minister’s concern for the environment continue to be violated?

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