Cambodia sees greater cooperation with U.S. and looks to expand in agricultural sector

Phnom Penh, Sept. 22, 2011(PRU) – Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Sok An told the outgoing U.S. Ambassador that the Royal Government is pleased by the state of bilateral relations with Washington. Both agreed that relations have expanded since important figures of the two countries exchanged visits.

Dr. Sok An welcomed Washington’s move to begin its agricultural education program in Cambodia in the future.

 “This has been a positive result of your term as ambassador,” Dr. Sok An told Ms. Rodley, who has completed her three-year posting to Cambodia.

Dr. Sok An recalled that in September 2010, Prime Minister Hun Sen met with President Obama in New York.

Also improving ties were the visits to Cambodia by former President Jimmy Carter and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said the Deputy Prime Minister. Former President Carter, a patron of Habitat for Humanity, visited Cambodia in 2009. Secretary of State Clinton visited in 2010.

H.E. Dr. Sok An thanked the U.S. and its legal experts who helped Cambodia to establish the law for the prosecution of the former Khmer Rouge leaders for their crimes in the 1970s.

“These are very important points,” Dr. Sok An said in the meeting.

Ambassador Rodley expressed her pleasure at Cambodia’s cooperation in various fields, which has contributed to expand the bilateral relations in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

Washington has contributed millions of dollars for the operation of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia to support the trial of the Khmer Rouge leaders.

“We have made progress together. I am happy that the first trial took place during my work in Cambodia. It was wonderful for me,” Rodley said, referring to the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, the head of S-21 prison under the Khmer Rouge regime.

Dr. Sok An thanked the U.S. for having supported Cambodia in international fora, for instance by voting in favor of inscribing the Temple of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site.

“We are trying to boost agricultural production by modernizing farming,” Dr. Sok An said. He added that some companies have put up factories to process rice for export, and said that any investment in Cambodia’s agricultural sector is a plus. Farmers comprise 80 percent of Cambodia’s total population.

He welcomed increased U.S. investment and Washington’s assistance. In the first half of this year, Cambodia received more than $100 million in investments by U.S. companies, the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Dr. Sok An said that an estimated $200 million in assistance was provided by the U.S. over the last three years.

He also briefed the Ambassador about the situation along the border between Cambodia and Thailand, which is now much much better than during the term of the previous Thai government led by Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Dr. Sok An recalled that the International Court of Justice decided on July 18, 2011 that both parties should immediately withdraw their military personnel from the provisional demilitarized zone, and that Thailand should not obstruct Cambodia’s free access to the Temple of Preah Vihear. Both countries should allow observers appointed by ASEAN to have access to the provisional demilitarized zone.

Cambodia thanks UK for support; both sides look to increase cooperation

Phnom Penh, September 22, 2011 (PRU) – Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Sok An told the British Ambassador on Thursday that the Royal Government is pleased with the United Kingdom’s support in the trial of Khmer Rouge leaders and in other fields.

“Everything have been improving in our bilateral cooperation, from supporting health care to the trial of the Khmer Rouge leaders” Dr. Sok An, Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, told Ambassador Andrew Mace.

H.E Dr. Sok An said that bilateral trade has improved and he hoped that there will be continuing improvement.

More British tourists are now visiting Cambodia, and the number has increased to 100,000 a year, he said. “The more tourists there are from your country, the more investors from the United Kingdom want to offer services for tourists,” Dr. Sok An told Ambassador Mace.

Ending his three-year term in Cambodia, Ambassador Mace said he is pleased with Cambodia’s cooperation during his mission in the kingdom.

Dr. Sok An looks forward to more cooperation with the United Kingdom for the continued success of the trial of the Khmer Rouge leaders.

He said that the Ambassador has witnessed the rocky relations between Cambodia and Thailand over the last three years. The border situation is now much better than during the previous Thai government under Abhisit Vejjajiva.

“The relations between the Royal Government of Cambodia and Thai government are better now,” Dr. Sok An said of the new Bangkok government led by Yingluck Shinawatra. “Prime Minister Hun Sen will play football with the Red Shirt group of Thailand in the next two days,” he said.

Mr. Mace, who witnessed the achievements of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), said that his government would continue more support to the court. “The Embassy will remain very active with the court,” he said.

Ambassador Mace added that the U.K. government is looking forward to helping the RGC to apply the legacies of the ECCC to the court system.

The outgoing Ambassador said that he hoped the border situation at the Temple of Preah Vihear will continue to improve and that Cambodia and Thailand will find a way to settle their differences over the overlapping claims area in the Gulf of Thailand, which is believed to have rich oil and gas deposits.

Dr. Sok An said that Cambodia understands that the new Thai government will honor the decision made by the International Court of Justice in July this year.

“Both sides will honor and implement the Court’s orders,” the Deputy Prime Minister assured the Ambassador.

Dr. Sok An recalled the Court’s decision that both sides should pull out their troops from the provisional demilitarized zone, which covers more than 17 square kilometers. Cambodia, however, stressed that any military withdrawal must be witnessed by independent military observers. “We will ask Indonesia to continue playing this role,” he said.

Dr. Sok An said that the Court’s order is “very clear, strong and in harmony with the values of UNESCO” by allowing experts to assess damage sustained by the Temple of Preah Vihear as the result of Thai bombardment.

Dr. Sok An recalled that the Court said that Thailand should not obstruct Cambodia’s free access to the Temple, and both parties should allow observers appointed by ASEAN to have access to the provisional demilitarized zone. Both countries should report to the court compliance or non-compliance.

Cambodia sees greater cooperation with U.S. and looks to expand in agricultural sector

Phnom Penh, Sept. 22, 2011(PRU) – Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Sok An told the outgoing U.S. Ambassador that the Royal Government is pleased by the state of bilateral relations with Washington. Both agreed that relations have expanded since important figures of the two countries exchanged visits.

Dr. Sok An welcomed Washington’s move to begin its agricultural education program in Cambodia in the future.

 “This has been a positive result of your term as ambassador,” Dr. Sok An told Ms. Rodley, who has completed her three-year posting to Cambodia.

Dr. Sok An recalled that in September 2010, Prime Minister Hun Sen met with President Obama in New York.

Also improving ties were the visits to Cambodia by former President Jimmy Carter and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said the Deputy Prime Minister. Former President Carter, a patron of Habitat for Humanity, visited Cambodia in 2009. Secretary of State Clinton visited in 2010.

H.E. Dr. Sok An thanked the U.S. and its legal experts who helped Cambodia to establish the law for the prosecution of the former Khmer Rouge leaders for their crimes in the 1970s.

“These are very important points,” Dr. Sok An said in the meeting.

Ambassador Rodley expressed her pleasure at Cambodia’s cooperation in various fields, which has contributed to expand the bilateral relations in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

Washington has contributed millions of dollars for the operation of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia to support the trial of the Khmer Rouge leaders.

“We have made progress together. I am happy that the first trial took place during my work in Cambodia. It was wonderful for me,” Rodley said, referring to the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, the head of S-21 prison under the Khmer Rouge regime.

Dr. Sok An thanked the U.S. for having supported Cambodia in international fora, for instance by voting in favor of inscribing the Temple of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site.

“We are trying to boost agricultural production by modernizing farming,” Dr. Sok An said. He added that some companies have put up factories to process rice for export, and said that any investment in Cambodia’s agricultural sector is a plus. Farmers comprise 80 percent of Cambodia’s total population.

He welcomed increased U.S. investment and Washington’s assistance. In the first half of this year, Cambodia received more than $100 million in investments by U.S. companies, the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Dr. Sok An said that an estimated $200 million in assistance was provided by the U.S. over the last three years.

He also briefed the Ambassador about the situation along the border between Cambodia and Thailand, which is now much much better than during the term of the previous Thai government led by Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Dr. Sok An recalled that the International Court of Justice decided on July 18, 2011 that both parties should immediately withdraw their military personnel from the provisional demilitarized zone, and that Thailand should not obstruct Cambodia’s free access to the Temple of Preah Vihear. Both countries should allow observers appointed by ASEAN to have access to the provisional demilitarized zone.