Monday, August 20, 2012

UN's Under-Secretary-General Heyzer to visit Cambodia


English.news.cn   2012-08-20 12:22:05            
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under- Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) , will make her first official visit to Cambodia from Aug. 21-24 to further enhance ties between the UN and Cambodia.
The visit is aimed at discussing topics and issues regarding to sustainable development, regional integration, and Cambodia's achievements and challenges towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, according to a press release from the National Committee for the Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific (NC-ESCAP) on Monday.
During the visit, Dr. Heyzer will hold meetings with other key senior government officials and will also pay a courtesy call on Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, said the press release.
Heyzer is the ninth Executive Secretary of the UN-ESCAP, she was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General to the position in August 2007.
Her visit to Cambodia is made at the invitation of Cambodia's senior minister Ly Thuch, the NC-ESCAP's Chairman.

Cambodia's 2 major oppositions submit application to form a new party


English.news.cn   2012-08-20 16:55:54            
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Sam Rainsy Party, which is the country's main opposition party, and the Human Rights Party on Monday submitted an application to the Ministry of Interior to form a new party called "Cambodia National Rescue Party" in order to compete in the general election in July next year.
"We had submitted documents to the Ministry of Interior this morning to establish a new party party," Pol Horm, spokesman for the Human Rights Party and vice-president of the yet-to-form party, told reporters in a press briefing.
According to Pol Horm, the proposed party will be led by self- exiled Sam Rainsy, president of the Sam Rainsy Party.
"Under to the law on political parties, the Ministry of Interior has 15 days to examine and decide if the proposed party is qualified enough for registration," he said.
The two opposition parties announced to form the new party on July 17 in order to gain stronger support from voters in the general election next year.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Aug. 1 that his Cambodian People's Party (CPP) has "no fear or concern" over the merger plan of the two opposition parties, adding that the move has no even slight impact on the CPP.
Cambodia sets to hold the general election in July 2013.
The last election was held in July 2008. As a result, the Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen won 90 seats out of the 123 seats in the National Assembly, followed by the Sam Rainsy Party with 26 seats, the Human Rights Party 3 seats, the Norodom Ranariddh Party 2 seats and the Funcinpec Party 2 seats.

Obama's chief trade advisor to visit Cambodia, meet ASEAN ministers


English.news.cn   2012-08-20 21:14:34            
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk, President Obama's Chief Trade Advisor, will be visiting Cambodia's Siem Reap province on Aug. 30-31 to participate in the 44th ASEAN Economic Ministers' meetings and the ASEAN-U.S. Business Summit, according to a press release from the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia on Monday.
"The ten ASEAN countries are key economic and strategic partners for the United States, and Ambassador Kirk's visit to Cambodia will demonstrate the United States' support for ASEAN integration and desire to deepen economic engagement with the region, as well as highlight broader U.S. goals for economic relations in the Asia-Pacific," said the press release.
Kirk's schedule will include a meeting of the ASEAN-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) Council, an informal meeting of the East Asia Summit Economic Ministers, and the first ever ASEAN-U.S. Business Summit.
The press release said that the ASEAN-U.S. Business Summit provides an opportunity for business representatives from the United States and ASEAN to exchange views on promoting economic growth and innovation, and to convey their shared recommendations in direct dialogue with the ASEAN trade ministers.
With a theme of innovation and the digital economy, it will focus on topics such as cloud computing, innovations in the food industry, and the use of technology to enhance business competitiveness, trade, and economic growth, it added.
On the margins of the Ministers' meetings, Kirk will also meet separately with Cambodian leaders and other participating ministers to discuss bilateral trade issues and objectives for regional partnerships, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership ( TPP) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
The 44th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting and related meetings will be held in Siem Reap, the cultural province of Cambodia from Aug. 25 to Sept. 1, according to a press release from Cambodia's Ministry of Commerce.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will open the 44th meeting on Aug. 27.
The meeting will discuss topics relevant to trade liberalization and economic cooperation among the ten ASEAN countries and the meetings between ASEAN economic ministers and dialogue countries including China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India, the United States, Canada and Russia.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Cambodian PM wants closer ties with Vietnam in trade, investment, tourism

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (L) shakes hands with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, on Aug. 16. 2012. Hun Sen said Thursday that the country wanted to see further cooperation with Vietnam in trade, investment, tourism and culture for mutual benefits of the two neighbors' peoples. (Xinhua/Sovannara
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday that the country wanted to see further cooperation with Vietnam in trade, investment, tourism and culture for mutual benefits of the two neighbors' peoples.
The premier's remarks were made during a meeting with Vietnamese deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, chairman of the National Committee for Prevention and Control of Drugs, AIDS and Prostitution, at the Peace Palace.
He also highly evaluated the good and friendly relations between Cambodia and Vietnam. On the drug combat issues, Hun Sen encouraged both sides' drug officials to intensify cooperation through information and expertise exchanges in order to timely crack down on all forms of drug offensives.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that his visit to Cambodia was to strengthen cooperation in drug combat. He also pledged to encourage more Vietnamese investors to Cambodia in order to deepen the bilateral ties in trade and investment.
Phuc made a 3-day visit to Cambodia on Tuesday. During the stay, he had held a bilateral talk with Cambodian deputy Prime Minister Ke Kim Yan, chairman of the National Authority for Combating Drugs. Both sides pledged to intensify cooperation to fight against cross border drug trafficking and all forms of drug offensives.
Also, he paid courtesy calls on Cambodia's President of National Assembly Heng Samrin and the first Vice-President of the Senate Say Chhum.

Drought hits 11 provinces in Cambodia: spokesman


English.news.cn   2012-08-16 15:16:29            
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Drought has been hitting 11 out of the 24 cities and provinces in Cambodia and affecting tens of thousands of hectares of rice seedlings, Keo Vy, spokesman and chief of the Cabinet of the National Committee for Disaster Management, said Thursday.
Generally, rainy season begins in May and lasts until October. But this year, there is a lack of rain in some provinces, he told Xinhua over telephone. As a result, to date, the drought has damaged 4,811 hectares of rice seedlings and affected 101,365 hectares of rice seedlings.
The drought-hit provinces are Kampong Speu, Takeo, Svay Rieng, Kandal, Prey Veng, Kampot, Battambang, Pursat, Banteay Meanchey, Uddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear. "If it persists for a longer period, there will be more damage," he said.
Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed Wednesday to all levels of authorities to help rescue farmers'rice seedlings through pumping water to irrigate those affected. "Weather is hard to predict. It was predicted that three storms would impact Cambodia in past weeks, but they had diverted to upper part...flooding China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and some areas in Japan,"he told a graduation ceremony at the Build Bright University.
The prime minister added that Cambodia's rainy season this year could prolong until early December.
Cambodia is an agrarian country. More than 80 percent of the population are farmers. The country produced some 8.25 million tons of paddy rice last year, according to a report of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Cambodia, Vietnam pledge to intensify drug combat cooperation

English.news.cn   2012-08-15 14:21:25            
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and Vietnam on Wednesday expressed their commitment to intensify cooperation to fight against cross border drug trafficking and all forms of drug offensives.
The commitment was made during a meeting between Cambodian deputy Prime Minister Ke Kim Yan, chairman of the National Authority for Combating Drugs, and visiting Vietnamese deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, chairman of the National Committee for Prevention and Control of Drugs, AIDS and Prostitution.
Speaking at the meeting, Ke Kim Yan said that Cambodia is not the country that produces illicit drug, but it has been suffering from cross border drug smuggling, drug use, and attempts to use Cambodia as a base for illicit drug production by foreign criminals.
"In the last few years, the authority has timely cracked down on a lot of locations which have been prepared to produce drug in Phnom Penh and some provinces," he said. "The criminals have been brought to court for law-based punishment."
Currently, he said the National Authority for Combating Drugs estimated that there have been some 6,000 Cambodians using illicit drug; however, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said that the country has up to 46,000 people using drug, most of them are youths.
Meanwhile, Ke Kim Yan asked Vietnamese side to continue cooperation in information exchange to prevent and crack down on transnational drug smuggling.
He also suggested Vietnam to provide aid to Cambodia for the construction of the National Center for Drug Addicts Rehabilitation.
Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that the closer cooperation between the two neighbors was very vital to eliminate all forms of drug offensives by 2015, saying that Vietnam would still continue helping Cambodia in this work.
He also promised to accept Cambodian drug law practitioners and drug rehabilitation officials to train in Vietnam.

Cambodian police, customs seize largest ever cocaine


English.news.cn   2012-08-15 16:48:12            
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian anti-drug chief on Wednesday appreciated police and customs officials for their efforts to seize more than 34 kilograms of drugs at the Phnom Penh International Airport and arrest 6 Thai drug traffickers.
"Our officials are very capable, we are proud of them, they have made largest ever cocaine busts these days," deputy prime minister and chairman of the National Authority for Combating Drugs Ke Kim Yan told reporters.
His comment came after the police and customs officials at the Phnom Penh International Airport arrested 6 Thai women who had tried to smuggle over 34 kilograms of drugs into Cambodia.
Varangkran A Phomdee, 29, and her alleged accomplice Tangboo Ketkarn, 31, were arrested on Aug. 7 and 8. The duo were charged by Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Aug. 11 with collaborating to smuggle about 3.6 kilograms of cocaine from Ecuador into Cambodia aboard a flight from Singapore.
On Aug. 13 and 14, Rodsiri Rungeiwa, 24, and Bucha Preedaporn, 35, were also arrested at the airport for concealing about 13 kilograms of cocaine each in their baggage.
In addition, on Aug. 13, Piwjansod Utsanee, 20, was also detained at the airport after police discovered 4.78 kilograms of methamphetamines in her luggage. She confessed that she brought the drug from Brazil and her final destination was Bangkok. Her fellow national Hollaus Nanthiya was also arrested for the same case, according to the website of the National Police.
"They trafficked these drugs from Ecuador, Brazil...and their final destinations are not Cambodia, but Thailand or other countries," Ke Kim Yan said Wednesday, adding that under the country's new drug law, those perpetrators will be seriously punished.
"We do not have death sentence as Singapore and Malaysia do," he said. "In Singapore, a person who traffics in over 30 grams of drug will be sentenced to death. For Cambodia, we have only a life imprisonment."
Under Cambodia's law, a person who traffics in more than 80 grams of drug will be sentenced to a life imprisonment.

Cambodia's organization to hold bike race to raise funds for vulnerable kids

English.news.cn   2012-08-15 18:12:06            
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Village Focus International ( VFI), a non-government organization, is scheduled to organize the Angkor Wat Bike Race & Ride on December 1 in Siem Reap province in order to raise funds to support vulnerable children, according to an organization's press release on Wednesday.
"Cyclists from all over the world are invited to sign up to the Angkor Wat Bike Race & Ride," said the press release.
Entering its seventh year, the annual charity fundraising event encourages participants of all ages and fitness levels to cycle through the beautiful temples of the UNESCO World Heritage Angkor Wat temple complex to help raise funds for VFI's life changing work supporting vulnerable children and victims of sex trafficking, it said.
Since first held in 2006, the bike event has grown each year and raised a total of 150,000 U.S. dollars towards empowering young people and communities to break out of the cycle of poverty and exploitation.
VFI implements three human rights-based programs throughout Laos and Cambodia, in cooperation with NGO partners.
Rick Reece, the VFI's director, said that the Angkor Wat Bike Race & Ride offers bikers from around the world to join in solidarity to ride on the Angkor roads through forest, rice fields and the magnificent ancient temple complex.