Monday, March 26, 2012

Australian FM hails Cambodia for rapid growth, political stability

PHNOM PENH, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr on Monday praised Cambodia for its rapid economic growth in recent years and political stability.
The remarks were made during a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Peace Palace.
Bob Carr said that Australian Development Assistance Program has allocated 77 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia in 2011-2012, focusing on agriculture development, health, services, infrastructure and access to justice.
He added that Australia will continue to assist Cambodia in the future.
Bob Carr congratulated Cambodia on its chairing ASEAN this year and said Australia is proud to be a dialogue partner of ASEAN.
For his part, Hun Sen thanked Australia for its technical and financial supports to Cambodia for decades, saying that Australia was one of several countries that helped Cambodia achieve peace and political stability.
Cambodia's GDP post a 7 percent growth rate in 2011, according to the government figure.
Bob Carr arrived here last Saturday for a four-day visit at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.
Earlier in the day, he met with King Norodom Sihamoni, Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong and Sok An, minister in charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers.

Cambodia releases agenda of upcoming 20th ASEAN Summit

PHNOM PENH, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Foreign Ministry on Monday unveiled the agenda of the 20th ASEAN Summit and related ministerial meetings to be held here from March 30 to April 4.
It said the 20th ASEAN Summit will be chaired by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
During the summit, the ASEAN leaders are expected to adopt documents including the Phnom Penh Declaration on ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny; the ASEAN Leaders' Declaration on Drug Free ASEAN 2015; and the Concept Paper on Global Movement of the Moderates.
In order to celebrate the 45th anniversary of ASEAN, the ASEAN leaders will also issue "Chairman's Statement on the 45th anniversary of ASEAN: The Way Forward".
In addition to the 20th ASEAN Summit, Cambodia will also host other related ministerial meetings including ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting; ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting with ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights; Meeting of Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Commission; 7th meeting of the ASEAN Political-Security Council; 7th meeting of the ASEAN Economic Community Council; 7th meeting of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council, and 10th meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council.
At the same time, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers will sign documents including ASEAN Statement on the Protocol to the Treaty on Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone, and Instrument of Incorporation of the Rules for Reference of Non-Compliance to the ASEAN Summit to the Protocol to the ASEAN Charter on Dispute Settlement Mechanisms.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Australia ready to lift sanctions on Myanmar: FM

PHNOM PENH, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Australia will remove sanctions on Myanmar step by step as the country has made progress in democratization process, said Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia Bob Carr on Monday.
Bob Carr unveiled the plan when he met with Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong during his visit to Cambodia.
"On Myanmar, we (Australia) are committed to peeling back the sanctions that is applied to the government after consultation with the opposition forces in Myanmar," he told a joint press briefing after the meeting.
"We want to withdraw sanctions stage by stage as the government of Myanmar introduces democracy stage by stage," he said.
He said Cambodia's view on Myanmar is valuable as the country is the chair of ASEAN and the East Asia Summit this year.
Hor Namhong said that as the ASEAN chair, Cambodia hailed the good progress of reforms in Myanmar.
"Both Bob Carr and I have congratulated the change, reform, progress of the democratization process in Myanmar," he said.
Last Wednesday, during a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, visiting Myanmar President U Thein Sein said Myanmar would try to do more towards democracy in order to enable the international community to lift economic sanctions.
He also assured that the country's April 1 parliamentary by- election will be held transparently and acceptably with the observation by international observers.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Cambodian, Thai firms ink deal for 1,800 megawatt coal-fired power plant in Koh Kong

PHNOM PENH, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's K.K. (Koh Kong) Power firm and Thailand's Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc on Sunday signed a joint-venture agreement to develop a 1,800 megawatt coal-generated electricity factory in Koh Kong province, some 271 kilometers Southwest of Phnom Penh.
The agreement was inked here between Cambodian tycoon and Senator Ly Yong Phat, president of K.K. Power, and Noppol Milinthanggoon, Chief Executive Officer of Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc, and witnessed by Cambodia's Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy Suy Sem.
The two firms held 50 percent stake each, Ly Yong Phat said after the signing ceremony without disclosing the investment amount the two firms put in the joint-venture.
"The development of the plant is to meet increasing power demand in Cambodia," he said. "The electricity will be sold to both Cambodia and Thailand."
Noppol Milinthanggoon said that taking partnership with K.K. Power firm would help support Cambodian government's policy in developing and enhancing the national power reliability leading to economic and social advancement.
"I am certainly confident that through efforts and commitment of the two companies, we will be able to continue and achieve our business objectives," he said. "As a neighboring country, we are proud to be a representative of Thai private energy sector to pursue the success of mutual cooperation in the future."
Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc is a leading Thai electricity firm and was listed in the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 2000, he said.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Suy Sem said the two companies' cooperation would be very important to develop Cambodia's electricity sector, which is one of a key elements for economic and social development.
"More electricity supply will bring reasonable prices for consumers and it will build more confidence among investors," he said.
Electricity shortage is one of the main obstacles for Cambodia in attracting foreign investors. Currently, China is leading in the investments in building electricity power plants in this Southeast Asian nation.
In last December, the Sinohydro Corporation has begun operations of a 193 megawatt Kamchay hydroelectric dam in Southwest Phnom Penh.
And other four China-invested hydroelectric dams with a total capacity of 722 megawatts have been constructing and all are expected to complete by 2015.

Hu Jintao's upcoming visit in Cambodia to boost ties


PHNOM PENH, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming visit of Chinese president Hu Jintao to Cambodia next week will build closer ties between the two countries, China and ASEAN as the visit is coincided with the 20th ASEAN Summit, said a senior official Sunday.
The visit will also create more confidence among foreign investors in Cambodia's political and economic stability, said Khieu Kanharith, Cambodian Minister of Information and Government Spokesman, in an exclusive interview with Chinese media.
Hu Jintao is scheduled to pay a four-day state visit to Cambodia from March 30 to April 2 at the invitation of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, according to a press release from Cambodia' s Foreign Ministry.
"We are very pleased to welcome his first visit to Cambodia. The visit will reflect the spirit of mutual understanding, respect and cooperation," he said.
The visit would show that even though China is a powerful country, it has always sought friendship relations with all countries in the region and the world.
"China always treats Cambodia as an equal friend without thinking that Cambodia is a small country," he said, adding that the visit would also demonstrate China's attention and commitment to strengthen closer ties with ASEAN countries.
Meanwhile, the minister reiterated that Cambodia still sticks to one-China policy, seeing both Taiwan and Tibet as a part of China.
In terms of economy, Khieu Kanharith said Hu's visit would encourage more Chinese investors and other foreign investors to Cambodia as they would trust in Cambodia's sound economic and political stability.
"We hope that during Hu's visit, many cooperation agreements will be signed," he said.
During the interview, Khieu Kanharith also highlighted good cooperation between China and Cambodia, and China and ASEAN.
The diplomatic ties between Cambodia and China have been bridged for more than 60 years during the age of former Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk and former Chinese leader Zhou Enlai, and the ties have been gradually fostered.
"Until now, our bilateral relations have reached the level of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation," he said.
On the ASEAN-China relations, he said, as ASEAN chair this year, Cambodia would do all its best to promote more mutual understanding between ASEAN and China and would act as a neutral mediator in the South China Sea dispute in order to solve the issue peacefully based on the DOC (the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea) signed between ASEAN and China in Phnom Penh in 2002.
In regard to some Western media reported that China's huge aid and investment in Cambodia are to possess the country's economy and politics, the minister said that China is the largest investor and provider of loan and grant to Cambodia, but China has never attached any conditions with its assistance.
"Chinese investment here is 8.8 billion U.S. dollars. It is the largest capital for Cambodia. With this investment, Cambodia can reconstruct infrastructures and it makes Cambodia have political independence, play a suitable role on international arena, and practically now chair the ASEAN," he said.
He said Cambodia has really appreciated China for its policy of other countries' sovereignty respect, non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, and peaceful co-existing.
"This Chinese policy is a factor that makes the situation in Asia stable," he said.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Cambodia calls for more active participation to fight TB


PHNOM PENH, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia celebrated the World TB Day on Saturday, calling for more active participation from all concerned parties to help the country to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) in 2015.
In a message to mark the day, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Cambodia has seen success in fighting tuberculosis and the disease treatment services have covered all 1,080 health centers throughout the country.
He said the death rate from TB had also sharply declined from 153 deaths among 100,000 patients in 1990 to 61 deaths in 2010, a drop of 61 percent.
"This figure showed that Cambodia has already achieved the MDG of the 50 percent reduction by 2015," he said.
For the infection rate, the premier said, the tuberculosis infection prevalence rate declined from 1,258 cases among 100,000 people in 1990 to 660 cases in 2010, down 47 percent.
"We almost reach the MDG of the 50 percent reduction by 2015," he said.
Despite the success, Cambodia is still one of the 22 high TB burden countries in the world, he said.
Around 62,000 people are estimated to suffer from TB each year and almost 9,000 Cambodians with TB die annually.
"On this occasion, I'd like to appeal to all ministries, institutions, all levels of authorities, national and international concerned parties, and common people to actively support every activity in fighting against TB in order to help Cambodia achieve the MDG successfully," said the premier.
The Saturday's celebration was presided over by the Minister of Health Mam Bunheng and Pieter van Maaren, the representative of the World Health Organization to Cambodia, and attended by some 400 health officials, TB patients, and students.
At the event, Pieter hailed Cambodia for its strong efforts to reduce the death and infection rates of TB in Cambodia, saying that with the above mentioned results, he believed that the country would be able to achieve the MDG in 2015.

Cambodia's ruling party president elected as senate president

PHNOM PENH, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The president of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) Chea Sim, 80, was elected the president of the Senate in the third legislature on Saturday.
All 60 senators, who were present during the session, had unanimously voted for Chea Sim as the president, bringing him as the president of the Senate in three straight mandates since the Senate's establishment in 1999.
The senators had also voted for Say Chhum, chairman of the Permanent Committee of the Standing Committee of the CPP, as the 1st vice-president, and Tep Ngorn of the CPP as the 2nd vice- president.
Speaking after the votes, Chea Sim expressed profound thanks to all the Senators for electing him as the president and the other two CPP's Senators as the 1st and 2nd vice-presidents.
"We'd like to say thanks to all of you for giving confidence in us and let us lead this top legislative body," he said. "We' re committed to working more active in this mandate in order to help the government of Cambodia in building the nation."
The third mandate of the Senate was officially in function on Saturday after the non-universal elections in January, in which the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of Prime Minister Hun Sen won 46 seats and Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), the country's main opposition party, gained the remaining 11.
The elections were voted by Members of Parliaments and commune councilors.
The third mandate of the Senate consists of 61 Senators including 46 from the CPP, 11 from the SRP, 2 appointed by the King Norodom Sihamoni, and 2 nominated by the National Assembly.
The Senate, or the upper house, was established in 1999 with a term of six years.

Cambodia's senate convenes 1st session


Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni (C) attends the first session of the third Cambodian Senate in Phnom Penh on March 24, 2012. The third Cambodian Senate on Saturday held its first session after the non-universal elections in January. (Xinhua/Zhao Yishen)
PHNOM PENH, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Senate of the third legislature on Saturday held its first session after the non-universal elections in January.
The first session was presided over by the King Norodom Sihamoni.
The January's Senate elections were voted by Members of Parliaments and commune councilors. As a result, the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) of Prime Minister Hun Sen won 46 seats and Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), the country's main opposition party, gained the remaining 11 seats.
Speaking at the opening of the first session, King Norodom Sihamoni expressed warm congratulations to the elected senators who would fulfill their parliamentary role in this supreme legislative body. "The senate in the third mandate will continue to contribute more actively to the enhancement of social democratization, aiming at ensuring the social and economic development and protecting the common interests of all classes of citizens," he said.
In addition, the king said the senate will ensure the protection of justice and human rights in order to enhance the long-lasting harmony in the society.
"I'd like to ask all the Senators to do your best to fulfill your mandate, maintain discipline and morality, ensure a high performance and honestly and truly respect the oath of allegiance," he added.
Cambodia's senate has 61 seats, but the election is held for only 57 seats as two are nominated by the king and the other two by the National Assembly.
The senate, or the upper house, was established on March 25, 1999 and the election is held once in six years.

Joint U.S., Cambodian military drill ends successfully

KAMPONG SPEU, Cambodia, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The 12-day joint U. S., Cambodian military exercise Angkor Sentinel 2012 ended successfully on Friday.
The closing ceremony was held at the Training School for Multi- national Peacekeeping Forces in Kampong Speu province, about 48 kilometers west of Phnom Penh, under the presidency of the four- star general Chay Sang Yun, a secretary of state for the Cambodian Defense Ministry, and Jeff Daigle, Charge d'Affairs of the U.S. Embassy to Cambodia.
"The drill was a very good opportunity for Cambodian and U.S. military personnel to create closer friendship relations and to build better military ties between the two countries," said Chay Sang Yun, adding that about 450 Cambodian armed forces joined the drill.
He said that the exercise was also good to exchange experience between the two armies.
Daigle said the U.S. would still continue helping Cambodia in military sector through providing military materials such as clothes and vehicles, but not weapons.
According to a press release from the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, the drill began from March 13 to 22 in Kampot and Kampong Speu provinces to cement the two countries' military ties.
It said approximately 100 members of U.S. Army Pacific joined Cambodian armed forces in focusing on peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance operations, including a battalion exercise, a counter improvised explosives devices field exercise, medical civic actions projects to treat underserved rural inhabitants, and battlefield medical activities.
Angkor Sentinel is an annual, bilateral exercise sponsored by U. S. Army Pacific and hosted by the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, it said. This exercise marks the third anniversary of this significant and highly productive regional military exercise.

Cambodia, ASEAN honor closer cooperation with China

PHNOM PENH, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and ASEAN have enjoyed steady cooperation with China in all fields, a senior Cambodian diplomat said here Friday, adding that as the 2012 ASEAN chair, Cambodia would do all it could to foster closer ASEAN-China relations.
In an exclusive interview with Chinese media on Chinese relations with Cambodia and ASEAN as a whole, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, secretary of state of Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said bilateral ties between Cambodia and China had been fostered since the age of Cambodian former King Norodom Sihanouk and the relations had been strengthened and expanded gradually. "Now, we can say bilateral ties between Cambodia and China are the closest of all,"he said."We have reached the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation."
Kao Kim Hourn said that Cambodia profoundly thanked China for all forms of assistance and for encouraging Chinese investors to Cambodia, which have largely been contributing to the development of Cambodia. "China has played a very important role in developing infrastructures in Cambodia," he said, adding that China's aid to Cambodia has"no strings attached". "Moreover, China has never interfered in Cambodia's internal politics. Instead, China always helps strengthen Cambodia's sovereignty,"he said.
On the ASEAN-China relation, Dr. Kao said the ASEAN-China is a strategic partner and the two sides have cooperated in all fields and at all levels. "Currently, the ASEAN-China cooperation has been deepened and gradually strengthened from year to year," he said."This year, as the chair of ASEAN, Cambodia will continue deepening and expanding relations between ASEAN and China."
He said the country would push for the building of mutual trust and call for a higher-level exchange of visits between leaders of the two sides.
In terms of economic cooperation, he said, ASEAN and China have implemented the Free Trade Area Agreement for more than one year and the cooperation has come to fruition.
On the social and cultural sides, there have been a number of activities created to honor the ASEAN-China relations, the secretary of state said. "China has not only helped the development of Cambodia, it has also helped the development of other ASEAN members, so China is a core and strategic dialogue partner of ASEAN,"said Kao.
In regard to Chinese President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit to Cambodia at the end of this month, Kao said the visit will be a historic milestone. "The visit will additionally contribute to further strengthening the friendship between Cambodia and China," he said,adding that the visit will be coincided with the 20th ASEAN Summit. "President Hu's visit is also reflecting China's willingness to boost cooperation with ASEAN because his visit is made when Cambodia hosts the 20th ASEAN Summit,"he said.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 

Kuwait upgrades diplomatic ties with Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The oil-rich Kuwait has set up its embassy residency here for the first time in order to upgrade bilateral cooperation between the two countries, Dhera Naser Al Tuwaijri, newly-designated ambassador of Kuwait to Cambodia, said Friday.
Dhera Naser Al Tuwaijri's remarks were made during a meeting with Cambodia's president of National Assembly.
Kuwait's embassy in Cambodia had been based in Bangkok, Thailand, he said, adding that the establishment of the embassy residency here was to build close relations and cooperation between Kuwait and Cambodia.
Heng Samrin said the embassy residency in Phnom Penh would help further strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation.
According to Heng Samrin, Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah visited Cambodia in August 2008 and signed five cooperation agreements with the country. In return, Cambodia' s Prime Minister Hun Sen visited Kuwait in January 2009 and signed four agreements in air services, embassy residence building, laborer exchange and tourism cooperation.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Thousands of Cambodian forces in training for ASEAN summit

PHNOM PENH, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Cambodian armed forces were on training Wednesday aiming at providing security and safety for the 20th ASEAN summit and related meetings from March 30 to April 4.
The training was held at the capital's Diamond Island Center with the participants from police, soldiers, riot police, military police, anti-terrorism police, fire police, traffic police, and guards of honor as well as protocol officials.
Speaking to reporters during the training session, Lieutenant General Chuon Sovan, deputy chief of the National Police, said that during the upcoming summit, the security forces would mainly focus on anti-terrorism.
"Security will be tightened at the airport, meeting venues, delegate buses, hotels, and roads in order to prevent any terrorism plot," he said, adding "we also train our forces to prevent any protest during the summit."
Brigadier General Touch Narath, Phnom Penh police chief, said that security and public order in the city have been beefed up from now on through routinely patrolling and searching for weapons and explosions at night among passengers.
"Also, security and safety at hotels and guesthouses have been strengthened, and street businesses along main roads will not be allowed until the end of the summit," he said.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Chinese President to visit Cambodia at March's end: Cambodian FM

PHNOM PENH, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and his wife Liu Yongqing will pay a four-day state visit to Cambodia from March 30 to April 2, according to a press release from Cambodia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.
The visit is made at the invitation of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, it said.
During the visit, Hu Jintao will be received in royal audience by King Norodom Sihamoni and meet with Chea Sim, President of the Senate, Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly, and Prime Minister Hun Sen.
In addition, Hu Jintao and Hun Sen will preside over the signing ceremony of some documents, and a joint statement will be released at the end of the visit, said the press release.
Hu Jintao will also visit Siem Reap's Angkor Wat temple, one of the world heritage sites.

Cambodia, UNICEF launch partnership cooperation to strengthen child protection

PHNOM PENH, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The government of Cambodia, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and civil society on Tuesday jointly launched a child protection program, aiming at collecting data about vulnerable children and preventing children from abuse and exploitation.
The 3-year partnership program will focus on the collection of data about vulnerable children and their needs, according to a press release from the UNICEF-Cambodia.
It will also provide trainings to civil society organizations on child-protection services and will provide outreach services to more than 180,000 children and their families to reduce harmful practices.
In addition, the program will prevent and respond to child abuse, exploitation and violence. "The launch of this partnership is a significant step in the efforts of the government, civil society partners and development partners to work together to build a system of laws, structures and services that will allow Cambodian children to grow up in a safe and healthy environment," said the press release. "The program will protect girls and boys from violence, exploitation, labor, and unnecessary separation from their families."
Prak Chanthoeurn, director general of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, said that the program will be implemented in Phnom Penh and four other provinces including Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap and Preah Sihanouk.
The ministry, UNICEF and NGO Friends International have selected other 9 NGOs to implement the program, he said.
Suna Khim, deputy representative of UNICEF to Cambodia, said the UNICEF was the financial and technical sponsor for the program.
"The partnership is very important. The UNICEF would like to encourage other concerned parties to join force to strengthen child protection system in order to ensure that vulnerable children are free from all forms of abuses," she said.

Japan provides Cambodia 7.5 mln USD for road restoration after last year's flood devastation

PHNOM PENH, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Japanese government on Tuesday signed up to provide Cambodia a grant aid of 7.5 million U.S. dollars for the rehabilitation of roads, which were damaged by floods last year.
The exchange of notes for the grant was inked between Ouch Borith, a secretary of state at Cambodia's Foreign Ministry, and Masafumi Kuroki, ambassador of Japan to Cambodia.
"Last year's floods had claimed many lives and seriously damaged various infrastructures, so it is an urgent need for Cambodia to rehabilitate and reconstruct these infrastructures in order to restore economic and social activities," said a press release by the Japanese embassy after the signing ceremony. "The grant aid will enable Cambodia to purchase construction equipment for road repair and maintenance."
Cambodia had suffered the worst flooding from August to October last year, leaving at least 250 people dead and estimated 1.4 million people affected, according to the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM).
Moreover, Nearly 3,000 kilometers of gravel roads and some 180 kilometers of national roads have been damaged.
The floods cost the country about 521 million U.S. dollars, mainly the damages of roads and rice paddies, it said.
Last month, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed up to provide a loan of 69 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia to support a major upgrade of provincial roads in some provinces, which were hard-hit by the floods.

ASEAN experts meet in Cambodia to boost tourism cooperation

PHNOM PENH, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Tourism experts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered here on Tuesday to discuss ways to boost tourism cooperation in order to turn the bloc as a world-class tourist destination by 2015, said a senior Cambodian official.
Speaking at the opening of the 3-day ASEAN Tourism Working Group meeting, Tith Chantha, director general of Cambodia's Tourism Ministry, said the meeting was attended by ASEAN tourism officials, ASEAN's Tourism Association, and ASEAN Secretariat.
He said it focused on ways to promote ASEAN tourism and to enhance ASEAN tourism quality through the establishment of ASEAN tourism standards such as the standards of green hotels, clean tourism cities, spas, guesthouses, and public sanitary facilities.
Besides, it discussed ways to develop ASEAN cultural and natural tourism products and to promote traveling by cruises among ASEAN countries.
"Our ambitious goal is to become the ASEAN as a world class tourist destination by 2015 based on the ASEAN tourism strategic plan 2011-2015," Tith Chantha said.
He said that Cambodia and other ASEAN member states alike have envisaged China as a big market to boost the tourism industry in the future.
The ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Congo supports Cambodia's candidacy for UNSC seat

PHNOM PENH, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Republic of the Congo on Monday revealed its support to Cambodia's candidacy for a non- permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) from 2013-2014.
The support was pledged during a meeting between Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and Henri Djombo, Congo's Minister of Sustainable Development, Forestry and Environment, and Alain Akouala Atipault, Congo's Minister in charge of Special Economic Zones.
"His Excellency Hor Namhong expressed profound thanks to the Republic of the Congo for the support," Ouch Borith, Cambodia's secretary of state at the Foreign Ministry, told reporters after the meeting.
He said that so far, more than 100 friendly countries have expressed their supports to Cambodia's candidacy for the seat. The voting will take place in October this year.
Cambodia became as a member of the United Nations in December, 1955. It has never held a seat in the UN Security Council.

UN pledges to continue technical supports to Cambodia for disaster management

PHNOM PENH, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations will continue technical supports to Cambodia in national disaster management, the United Nations Humanitarian Chief said here on Monday.
During a meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Valerie Amos, United Nations Under- Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that her visit to Cambodia was the first of her four-country trip in ASEAN to examine the possibility for increasing cooperation between the UN. and respective country, and between the UN and the ASEAN in disaster mitigation.
Amos hailed Cambodia's National Committee for Disaster Management and Cambodian Red Cross for timely and effective provision of emergency aid to flood-affected victims last year.
Meanwhile, she pledged to continue providing technical support and capacity building for the two institutions in order to respond more effectively for eventual disasters in the future.
Hor Namhong thanked the United Nations for its 4 million U.S. dollar emergency relief to Cambodia during the last year's flood disaster.
He said that countries in ASEAN, especially countries along Mekong River, are prone to natural disasters such as floods and drought due to climate change.
He added that the UN's financial and technical supports are highly valuable to ease the suffering from those disasters.
Cambodia was Amos's first trip of her four country visit between March 19 and 23. Her next visit is Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, according to a press release from the United Nations Development Program to Cambodia on Monday.

Cambodia has 711 large-scale plants by 2011: reports

PHNOM PENH, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia boasted 711 large- scale plants, creating 407,200 jobs as of last year, according to reports released by the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy on Monday.
A total of 537 factories are making garments, textiles, footwear, handbags, and hats, employing 354,000 workers, said the reports.
The remaining are engaged in food processing, beverage, brewery, chemicals, cements, construction materials, electronics, motorcycle and automobile assembly, medical supplies and equipment, and gold mining.
Most investors in the country's large-scale projects are from China, China's Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, and Vietnam.
Besides large-scale plants, the country has 37,650 small-scale enterprises, offering 184,000 jobs as of last year, said the reports.
Suy Sem, minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, said Monday that more and more foreign investors have come to Cambodia, thanks to the country's political stability, investment potentials and preferential laws.
"Industrial sector has been hugely contributing to the economic growth and poverty alleviation in this country," he said during the opening of the ministry's annual conference.

Asia Economic Forum kicks off in Cambodia, focuses on ASEAN community building

PHNOM PENH, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The 8th Asia Economic Forum kicked off here on Saturday, focusing on reviewing the ASEAN achievements in the past 45 years and looking at opportunities and challenges toward the realization of an ASEAN community by 2015.
The two-day forum has been attending by some 300 economists, academics, researchers, and policy makers from Asian countries.
Haruhisa Handa, advisor to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and chairman of Asia Economic Forum, said the forum, under the theme "ASEAN in the Evolving Regional Architecture: Opportunities, Challenges and Future Direction", aimed at examining how ASEAN has been able to develop and transform itself in the past 45 years of its existence.
It would also look at ways to enhance ASEAN's centrality in the evolving regional architecture and identify ASEAN's future priorities and challenges toward the realization of an ASEAN community by 2015, he said.
Moreover, the forum would deliberate on how ASEAN can strategically best engage its dialogue partners in the coming years, and at the same time to play a positive role in its relations with the major powers in the region.
Speaking at the opening of the forum, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Keat Chhon, Minister of Economy and Finance, said the ASEAN has made tremendous progress in all areas of cooperation in the last 45 years, but challenges are still ahead toward the community.
"Since its inception in 1967, the ASEAN has not only accelerated the pace of diplomatic prominence, the rise of its profile internationally, but has also had a great impact on major power relations in the region and the wider world," he said. " The bloc has achieved many goals, but with those successes, it does not mean there are no challenges."
He said ASEAN needed to strengthen its participatory capacity in global solution cooperation reflecting the contribution of ASEAN to global affairs, in which prestige and role of ASEAN will be further enhanced at international arena.
Those global affairs include economic crisis, climate change, natural disaster management, prevention and combat of contagious disease as well as fighting against crime and cross border terrorism, he said.
In addition, the minister said, ASEAN has to speed up the process of dividing development gap among ASEAN member countries, which is prerequisite requirement to ensure regional competitiveness and rationalization of regional integration and implementation of action plan of ASEAN integration initiatives.
"ASEAN is an important player in the region among other successful organizations in the world. I strongly believe that ASEAN community will be realized in next two years," he said.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

China leads in infrastructure development assistance to Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China is the largest donor in infrastructure development assistance to Cambodia, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Keat Chhon said Saturday.
"China is the No. 1 donor for infrastructure development here, and Japan comes at the second," he told reporters after opening a regional economic forum.
He said that China's aid on infrastructure is vital for Cambodia to boost its long-term economic growth.
According to the Finance Ministry, since 1992, China has provided a total of 2.1 billion U.S. dollars to Cambodia, mainly for the construction of roads, bridges, and irrigation system.
Of the amount, 125 million U.S. dollars is grant, 152 million U. S. dollars is non-interest loan, and the rest is concessional loan.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Cambodia promotes ASEAN awareness among university students

PHNOM PENH, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Some 3,000 Cambodian students from various universities in the kingdom took part in a national seminar on ASEAN awareness on Thursday at the capital's Diamond Island Theater.
Key speakers in the seminar were the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, who represents Cambodia for the ASEAN security community, Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh, who represents the country for the ASEAN economic community, and Permanent Vice President of the Council for the Development of Cambodia Sun Chanthol, who represents the country for the ASEAN socio-cultural community.
"ASEAN is now a body that is more prestigious on international arena. ASEAN is playing very critical roles in terms of politics and economy," Hor Namhong said.
As the 2012 ASEAN chair, Cambodia would do all its best to integrate ASEAN into an ASEAN community by 2015 through narrowing the development gap between the old six ASEAN member states and new four ASEAN member states, he said.
Also, Cambodia would push to speed up the processes of ASEAN connectivity in infrastructures such as overland roads, water ways and airways, and the connectivity among institution-to-institution and people-to-people.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established in 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand. It groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Cambodian trade unions, right groups urge authorities to arrest perpetrator for shooting workers


PHNOM PENH, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-two trade unions and right groups in Cambodia urged the local authorities to arrest former-governor of Bavet city Chhouk Bandith for shooting protesting garment workers on Feb. 20, a joint statement released to the media said on Thursday.
"Minister of Interior Sar Kheng has identified the suspect of the shooting as being Bavet town governor Chhouk Bandith, and we strongly urge the government of Cambodia to make the suspect's arrest an utmost priority," said the statement.
"We also urge a proper trial and judgment in accordance with the law," it added.
Locally well-known Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO); the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers' Democratic Union; the Cambodian Independent Teachers'Association; and the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee are among the groups that made the appeal.
Chhouk Bundith is the only suspect for shooting three Cambodian garment workers in a mass protest at the Manhattan Special Economic Zone (SEZ),Bavet city, Svay Rieng province and was removed from his post on March 5 by Prime Minister Hun Sen to make way for the court to look into the case.
On March 5, the Svay Rieng Provincial Court issued a letter to summon Chhouk Bundith for questioning over his role in the alleged shooting. However, so far, his whereabouts are unknown.
The three victims in the shooting are Buot Chenda, 21, with the bullet hit her chest and exited her back, and the two others are Keo Nea and Nuth Sakhorn, who got minor gun wounds.
Svay Rieng is located some 167 kilometers Southeast of Phnom Penh and bordered by Vietnam.
Garment industry is the country's largest income maker. The sector earned 4.24 billion U.S. dollars last year, or 87 percent of the country's total export revenue.
The country currently has more than 300 garment factories, employing more than 300,000 people, mostly women from rural areas.
Low wages and poor working conditions have led to frequent strikes in Cambodia, where the minimum monthly wage for a worker is 66 U.S. dollars.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Cambodia lures more investments in food,textile industries: finance minister

PHNOM PENH, March 13 (Xinhua) -- A number of investors have recently directed their investments in Cambodia in food processing and garment and textile industry, Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon said here Tuesday.
Speaking at the launch of the results of the 2011 Economic Census, the minister said the country has huge potential for food processing because it has abundant raw materials, especially rice, for food processing for exports.
On the garment and textile industries, he said, Cambodia has been granted custom duty-free for exporting to European countries.
The country initiated four food processing projects with a total investment of 45 million U.S. dollars last year. These rice processing, beer and soft drinks projects were joint ventures with China, and Malaysia. Cambodida has set up 92 new garment factories with investment totaling 405 million dollars. Investors are from South Korea, China, China's Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, the United States, Britain, Mauritius, and Samoa.

Cambodia's garment industry creates 335,400 jobs by 2011

PHNOM PENH, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has 309 garment and textile factories as of last year, employing some 335,400 workers - 91 percent of them are female, according to reports released by the country's Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday.
It said the sector spent about 408 million U.S. dollars for workers' salaries last year.
Garment and textile industry is the country's largest income maker. Last year, the sector had exported products in equivalent to 4.24 billion U.S. dollars, up 25 percent from a year earlier.
The sector represented up to 85 percent of the country's total exports.
The United States and European countries are the main buyers. The export to the United States was 2.05 billion U.S. dollars last year, up 11 percent; and the export to European countries was 1.3 billion U.S. dollars, up 42 percent, said the reports.

Cambodia to host ASEAN army chiefs meeting in late March

PHNOM PENH, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia will host the 9th Annual Chiefs of Defense Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM) on March 28-30 in order to further strengthen the bloc's military cooperation, said a senior defense official on Tuesday.
The ACDFIM is a regional platform for Chiefs of Defense Forces from the ASEAN countries to discuss cooperative mechanisms for current significant matters relevant to defense and security, Lt. Gen. Nem Sowath, director general of the Defense Ministry's Policy and Foreign Affairs Department, said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
Preceding the ACDFIM, there will be the ASEAN Military Intelligence Informal Meeting (AMIIM) and ASEAN Military Operations Informal Meeting (AMOIM) on March 26-28, he added.
"These meetings will focus on further enhancing mutual military cooperation among ASEAN member states in order to bring security and safety to the whole region towards the realization of an ASEAN community by 2015," he said.
In the upcoming meeting, he said, the army chiefs are expected to adopt a Joint Statement to further strengthen cooperation amongst ASEAN militaries.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Cambodia grants mine exploratory licenses to 24 firms in 2011: gov't report

PHNOM PENH, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy had issued mineral resource exploratory licenses to 24 local and foreign companies in the past year.
According to the annual report of the ministry's mineral resources department released on Friday, the firms are mostly Cambodian-owned ones and those from China and Vietnam.
They have been exploring mineral resources including gold ore in provinces of Kratie, Ratanakiri, metallic ore and bauxite in Mondolkiri, Koh Kong and Stung Treng, lime mineral resources in Kampot, and coal mine in Kampong Thom, it said.
Speaking on Friday during the annual mineral resources conference, Suy Sem, Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, advised his officials to work closely with those companies to ensure that their exploratory activities have been properly conducted in accordance to the laws.
"The development of mineral resources sector is one of the government's priorities. To attract investors, it is vital to strengthen partnership with investors and to strengthen the implementation of laws and agreements," he said.
Cambodia is believed to be rich in metallic mineral, gold ore, bauxites, titanium, copper, and offshore oil and gas. To date, all mining activities here are in the process of exploration, not yet exploitation.
According to the record of the NGO-Extractive Industry Social and Environment Impact (EISEI) Network released last December, Cambodia had granted mining concessional licenses to a total of 128 local and foreign entities to conduct mineral exploration.
All the firms have been exploring mineral resources in 18 provinces out of the country's 24 cities and provinces, covering more than 24,000 square kilometers, or approximately 13 percent of Cambodia's total land area of 181,035 square kilometers.
The investors in those projects come from Australia, the United States, South Korea, Vietnam, China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, France besides Cambodia.

Cambodia hosts 1st Sihanoukville Int'l Half Marathon

PHNOM PENH, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Sunday held the first Sihanoukville International Half Marathon, aiming at promoting sports and attracting tourism to coastal areas, said a senior sports official.
Vath Chamroeun, secretary general of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, said that the event was attended by around 1,000 professional and amateur athletes including some 100 foreign runners from 12 countries.
"The event is vital to promote sports and tourism in coastal areas," he said.
The Sunday's contest was presided over by Cambodia's Minister of Tourism Thong Khon.
According to the results released by the NOCC, the men's 21 kilometer race was won by Cambodian Ma Viro in the period of 1 hour, 23 minutes and 37 seconds; another Cambodian athlete Svay Chanthan finished at the second with 1:27:57; and the other Cambodian Kong Thoeun came at third with 1:30:15.
Whilst the women's 21 kilometer running was awarded to French Clementine Tamouide who finished in 1 hour, 43 minutes and 04 seconds; Australia's Pip Miner took the second place in 1:50:31; and British Louta Watson finished at third with 1:51:15.0 Coastal Preah Sihanouk province is situated some 230 kilometers Southwest of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

Cambodia expects 7 pct GDP growth in 2012: Finance Minister

PHNOM PENH, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Finance Minister Keat Chhon said Monday that the country's Gross Domestic Product ( GDP) growth is expected at 7 % this year.
The forecast is higher than that of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank -- all forecast at 6.5 % this year.
Cambodia's forecast was based on the increases in garments exports, tourist arrivals, and agriculture as well as a gradually recovered real estate sector, the minister told reporters after a meeting at the Ministry of Commerce.
The country is highly sensitive to economic activity in the United States and Europe, which account for about two thirds of its total exports and the bulk of high-end tourist arrivals, according to the IMF's report released at the end of last month.
However, Keat Chhon said Cambodia's economy was still robust in 2012 and 2013 despite some impacts from the debt crisis in Europe and slow economic recovery in the United States, and the country still expected increases in garment exports to the two regions this year.
He added that to boost exports, the country has also been diversifying its exports to other Asian countries including China and Japan, not just relying on the Europe's and the United States' markets.
Meanwhile, he said that Cambodia is optimistic to attract more foreign investments in coming years thanks to the country's preferential laws, improving infrastructures, and better trade facilitations, and preferential conditions in Asian countries for investors.
Cambodia's GDP in 2011 was 7 %, or 13 billion U.S. dollars, according to the government report.

U.S., Cambodia to conduct annual joint military drill

PHNOM PENH, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The United States and Cambodia will participate in the joint military exercise, Angkor Sentinel, on March 13-22 in Kampot and Kampong Speu provinces, aiming at cementing the two countries' military ties, according to a press release from the U.S. Embassy here on Monday.
Angkor Sentinel 2012 is a major bilateral exercise that continues a substantial, multi-year effort by U.S. Army Pacific and U.S. Pacific Command to actively engage with Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and expand peacekeeping and stability operations capabilities, said the press release.
Approximately 100 members of U.S. Army Pacific will join Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in focusing on peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance operations, including a battalion exercise, a counter-improvised explosives devices field exercise, medical civic actions projects to treat underserved rural inhabitants, and battlefield medical activities, it added.
Angkor Sentinel is an annual bilateral exercise sponsored by U. S. Army Pacific and hosted by the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.
It is the latest in a continuing series of rigorous, multi- faceted exercises designed to promote regional peace and security, it said, adding that the exercise marks the third anniversary of this significant and highly productive regional military exercise.

Cambodia to give greater role for private sector as ASEAN chair


PHNOM PENH, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Private sector has been playing an important role in speeding up the ASEAN integration. As the 2012 ASEAN chair, Cambodia will do all its best to provide a bigger role for the sector, a Cambodian senior official said on Monday.
"Cambodia will boost deeper ASEAN integration by providing a greater role for private sector in ASEAN processes and policy making," Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon said during the opening of an annual meeting at the Ministry of Commerce.
He said that ASEAN is a strategic and promising region and for its growth and dynamism to be sustained, the private sector must play a key role to help ASEAN governments realize the ASEAN economic community by 2015.
"Cambodia is ready to grasp opportunities from market open and to take advantages of ASEAN Free Trade Area Agreements and other ASEAN Cooperation Agreements," he said.
However, he said, the country was still much in need of financial and technical assistance from development partners to strengthen infrastructures and human resources for both private and governmental institutions in order to enhance production quality and capacity for the competition with other ASEAN producers when the full implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Area agreement begins in 2015.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Cambodia's footwear exports rise 49 pct in 2011

PHNOM PENH, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia had exported footwear products in equivalent to 264 million U.S. dollars last year, a 49 percent rise from 177 million U.S. dollars in a year earlier, a report by the Ministry of Commerce showed on Monday.
It said that the main markets for Cambodia-made shoes are the United States, European countries, Canada, Japan and some Asian countries.
According to the report, the country has 40 footwear factories employing 62,470 workers - 90 percent of them are female.
The sector spent about 60 million U.S. dollars for workers' wages per annum, it said.
Speaking at the annual commerce meeting on Monday, Cham Prasidh, Minister of Commerce, said that the country's shoe industry has been remarkably grown in recent years and it would be one of the potential sectors for economic development in the near future.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Cambodia's Appeal Court upholds jail terms for 2 Thai poachers


PHNOM PENH, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The Appeal Court of Cambodia on Wednesday upheld a five-year prison sentences for two Thai men who had originally been convicted by the Preah Vihear Provincial Court in August 2010 on charges of illegally crossing the border with poaching weapons.
"The two Thai men -- Phit Orn-na, 48, and Thong Dem Yakla, 52 -- have confessed to their mistakes, so the Appeal Court decided to uphold the jail terms for the two Thai men," according to the verdict announced by the presiding judge Khun Leangmeng.
"They will be deported to their country soon after they have served their prison terms."
Khun Leangmeng said the convicts have the rights to sue to the Supreme Court if they still disagree with the verdict of the Appeal Court.
The two men were arrested on May 5, 2010 in Preah Vihear province's Choam Ksan district and later charged with illegal border crossing and illegal weapon possession. They were tried by the Preah Vihear Provincial Court on August 12, 2010.

Young Cambodian women tell their stories, inspire others

PHNOM PENH, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The inspiring stories of women and girls who have changed their lives or made a difference in their communities are being showcased on this International Women' s Day thanks to a partnership between the United Nations and a network of young women in Cambodia.
Launched on Thursday, a blog and facebook page called "New Waves" linked to the Loy9 (UNDP/ BBC Media Action) multimedia campaign has published the first of what is hoped to be many stories submitted from across Cambodia, telling the stories of women and girls who have created positive changes in their lives and communities, according to a press release from the United Nations Development Program to Cambodia.
Following the theme for International Women's Day 2012, " Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures", the blog is intended to mark the beginning of the campaign, aimed at celebrating and promoting the progress made by Cambodian women in their struggle for equality, peace and development, it said.
The United Nations is calling on women and girls, as well as men and boys, to send in stories of young inspirational Cambodian women, either of themselves or others they find inspirational.
Stories can be sent as a written text, photos, videos or other artworks until May.
UN Resident Coordinator to Cambodia Douglas Broderick said the concept came from the young women's group, which consists of young female leaders aged 18-30 years old from universities, NGOs, government, political parties and the media and who are committed to empowering marginalized women across the country.
"My hope is that these stories can be a powerful vehicle to engage Cambodian women to share their stories and build the confidence of other women and girls," Broderick said.
"I think this concept of inspiring stories has the potential to strengthen public discourse on the value of womens' contribution to public life, which will in turn have a positive impact on increasing womens' participation in multiple spheres of life."
UN Women Country Director, Wenny Kusuma, said the stories that are submitted will be used in a variety of ways, including published on the blog, and shared through a variety of media programs including TVs and radio stations.
Later in the year, she said, the UN will select a number of stories for publication, as well as for possible use in exhibitions or events to further highlight the inspiring achievements of Cambodian women and girls.

Cambodia's PM removes Bavet city governor for shooting allegation

PHNOM PENH, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Governor of Bavet city Chhouk Bundit, who is the only suspect of shooting Cambodian garment workers in a mass protest on Feb. 20, was removed from his position in order to make way for the court to look into the case, Men Vibol, deputy governor of Svay Rieng province, said Thursday.
"Prime Minister Hun Sen signed a letter on March 5 to remove him (Chhouk Bundit) from the post in order to make way for the court to investigate him in the case of shooting protesting garment workers," he told Xinhua by telephone.
On March 5, the Svay Rieng Provincial Court issued a letter to summon Chhouk Bundit for questioning for his role in the alleged shooting of three protesting garment workers on Feb. 20.
Men Vibol said that so far Chhouk Bundit's whereabouts is unknown.
The Feb. 20 shooting happened at the Manhattan Special Economic Zone (SEZ) situated in Svay Rieng province's Bavet city when some 3,000 workers from three factories, namely Kingmaker Footwear, Kaoway Sports and Sheico, were protesting for salary increase.
The three victims in the shooting are Buot Chenda, 21, who was shot on her chest and exited her back, and the two others are Keo Nea and Nuth Sakhorn, who were slightly injured.
The Minister of Interior Sar Kheng said on March 1 that Chhouk Bundit was the only suspect in the shooting.
Svay Rieng is located some 167 kilometers Southeast of Phnom Penh and bordered by Vietnam.
Garment industry is the country's largest income maker. The sector earned total revenues of 4.24 billion U.S. dollars last year, representing 87 percent of the country's total exports.
The whole industry consisted of more than 300 factories, employing more than 300,000 people, mostly women from rural areas.
Low wages and poor working conditions have led to frequent strikes in this Southeast Asian nation. The minimum monthly wage for a worker is 66 U.S. dollars.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Cambodia,Brazil ink deal to boost cooperation on diplomacy,trade ,investment

PHNOM PENH, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and Brazil on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aiming at boosting bilateral cooperation on politics, trade and investment.
The MoU was inked between Ouch Borith, Cambodia's secretary of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Maria Edileuza Fontenelle Reis, undersecretary- general for Asia of the Brazilian External Relations Ministry.
Speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony, Ouch Borith said that the MoU was to promote bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially in politics, agriculture, trade and investment.
He said that in terms of politics, Brazil said it would support Cambodia's candidacy for the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in a vote in October this year.
For the economic and trade relations, Brazil will arrange visits of its businesspeople to Cambodia in the near future.
Meanwhile, Maria promised to encourage Brazilian investors to Cambodia in the fields of automobile industry, bio-ethanol industry and agriculture.
Trade between Cambodia and Brazil is relatively small, and on the investment side, so far, there is no Brazilian investors put their ventures in Cambodia, according to the record of the Council for the Development of Cambodia.

Indonesia's FM to visit Cambodia next week to boost ties

PHNOM PENH, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa will make a one-day visit to Cambodia on Mar. 5 to boost bilateral ties and cooperation in the framework of ASEAN, Ouch Borith, a secretary of state at Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Friday.
During the visit, Marty will hold a bilateral talk with Cambodia's deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Ouch Borith said he was not sure whether the two ministers will talk about the deployment of Indonesian observers to the provisional demilitarized zone (PDZ) on the disputed border between Cambodia and Thailand near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple in order to comply with the order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Cambodia and Thailand have had sporadic border conflict over territorial dispute near Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple since the UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008 and witnessed fierce clashes in February and April 2011 during Thailand's Democrat Party rule.
On April 28, 2011, Cambodia submitted a request to the ICJ for interpretation of its judgment on June 15, 1962 in the case concerning the ancient temple. It was accompanied by an urgent request for provisional measures in which Cambodia demands Thailand immediately and unconditionally withdraw troops from area surrounding the ruins.
During the interval of waiting for the verdict interpretation, the ICJ ordered Cambodia and Thailand on July 18, 2011 to immediately withdraw their military personnel from the PDZ and allow ASEAN observers (Indonesians) to access to the PDZ to monitor ceasefire.
However, so far neither Cambodia nor Thailand has withdrawn its troops from the area.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Bavet city governor suspected of shooting protesting Cambodian garment workers: Interior Minister


PHNOM PENH, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The Governor of Bavet city Chhouk Bundit is suspected of opening gunfire at Cambodian garment workers in a mass protest for salary increase on Feb. 20 and injured three female workers at that time, the Minister of Interior Sar Kheng said Thursday. 
"The police have already known the identity of the suspect--the governor of Bavet city Chhouk Bundit is the suspect in the shooting," he told reporters after a Southeast Asia Regional Workshop on Child Protection.
The Feb. 20's shooting happened at the Manhattan Special Economic Zone (SEZ) situated in Svay Rieng province's Bavet city when some 3,000 workers from three factories, namely Kingmaker Footwear, Kaoway Sports, and Sheico, were protesting for salary increase.
The three victims in the shooting are Buot Chenda, 21, who was shot on her chest and exited her back, and the two others are Keo Nea and Nuth Sakhorn, who were shot slightly injured.
The shooter with a pistol approached the protesting workers by a car and fired to them before he escaped into the nearby Acacia forest.
On Wednesday, the Interior Ministry sent the results of an investigation in the case of shooting protesting garment workers to the Svay Rieng provincial court and is awaiting an arrest warrant from the court. "The perpetrator will be arrested within a week after the court' s issuance of arrest warrant," said Sar Kheng.
Svay Rieng is located some 167 kilometers Southeast of Phnom Penh and bordered by Vietnam.
Garment industry is the country's largest income maker. The sector earned total revenues of 4.24 billion U.S. dollars last year, representing 87 percent of the country's total exports. The whole industry consisted of more than 300 factories, employing more than 300,000 people, mostly women from rural areas.
Low wages and poor working conditions have led to frequent strikes in this Southeast Asian nation. The minimum monthly wage for a worker is 66 U.S. dollars.

Japanese entrepreneurs eye investment in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, March 1 (Xinhua) -- A group of 25 young Japanese entrepreneurs are in Cambodia to explore business opportunities.
The entrepreneurs are involved in businesses in the fields of education, consultancy, real-estate, telecommunication, banking and finance.
The group led by Hideo Okubo, Chairman and CEO of Forval Corporation, met with Cambodian officials led by the minister of commerce Cham Prasidh on Thursday.
Hideo Okubo said it was the first time the delegation came to Cambodia to seek business opportunities after they were aware that the country is politically stable and has a lot of potential for investment.
Cham Prasidh also said the country enjoys political stability, macro-economic stability and preferential law and regulations for investors.
Moreover, he said, this Southeast Asian nation has a lot of potential in the sectors of industry, agriculture, tourism, mining, oil and gas, energy, transportation and telecommunication.
"Except land ownership, foreign investors can invest up to 100 percent of their stake in Cambodia -- they have no need to partner with local investors," he said.
"Investing here, you can get duty free on the exports of your products to European countries, the United States, China, India and even Japan," he said.
Japan is one of Cambodia's key donors, however, the country's investment in Cambodia is still relatively insignificant. According to the figure of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, from 1994 to the end of 2011, Cambodia received only 154 million U.S. dollars investment from Japan.

11 Cambodian pupils injured in warhead explosion

PHNOM PENH, March 1 (Xinhua) -- A warhead of a 60-mm shell exploded on Thursday morning, injuring 11 pupils in Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, some 500 km northwest of Phnom Penh, police chief said.
The incident occurred at 07:40 a.m. local time at Koh Ke Primary School in Preah Vihear's Kulen district when a group of pupils had picked up an unexploded 60-mm shell from the rice field nearby the school and brought it to play in the classroom, said Mao Pov, police chief of Preah Vihear province.
"In the class, they played with it by throwing the shell from one to another and the shell erupted when it hit the table as a pupil failed to receive it," he told Xinhua.
He said that the 11 pupils, including six females, were injured in the accident. Of them, 3 are in serious condition. Cambodia is one of the world's worst countries suffered from mines as the results of nearly three decades of war and internal conflicts from the mid 1960s until the end of 1998.
The country's five most mine-laid provinces are Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin and Preah Vihear.
According to the record, since 1979 to the end of 2011, there had been a total of 64,017 landmine casualties. Of the total casualties, 19,619 people were killed, 35,522 were injured and 8, 876 were amputated.

U.K.-Southeast Asian officials meet in Cambodia for child protection efforts

PHNOM PENH, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Some 80 representatives from law enforcement agencies, Non-governmental Organizations and United National agencies from the United Kingdom (U.K.) and four Southeast Asian countries gathered here on Thursday to strengthen cooperation and exchange experience on child protection.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 3rd annual U.K.- Southeast Asian regional child protection workshop, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng, who is also Minister of Interior, said that Cambodia has been taking a firm stance to combat all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
"We're committed to fighting all types of inhuman acts on children and to bringing perpetrators for severe punishment according to the laws," he said.
He added that under the cooperation between the United Kingdom and the four Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, the suppression on pedophiles in Southeast Asian countries will be more effective.
The two-day workshop, run by specialist trainers from the U.K.' s Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre, aimed to provide a better understanding of child sexual exploitation issues, share best practice, strengthen the regional network of multi- agency contacts and explore how to better collaborate with other stakeholders.
British Ambassador to Cambodia Mark Gooding said that child rights were an important area of work for the British Embassy, adding that the workshop would further strengthen national capacities and regional networks to keep children safe.
During the workshop, there was also the launching of a short animation in Khmer called "The Tales of Mai and Tam: Mai and Tam Take Control".
The film tells the story of brother and sister, Mai and Tam, and conveys messages on some issues around child trafficking, as well as sexual abuse committed by someone outside of the family. The aim of the film is to empower children and their carers to be able to better protect themselves from child sexual offenders who may groom children, as well as those who seek to exploit them for child trafficking.