Cambodian PM to attend G20 Summit in Mexico

2012-06-14 13:47:46

PHNOM PENH, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will lead a high level delegation to attend the G20 Summit to be held on June 18-19 in Los Cabos, Mexico, a press release from the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
The participation is made at the invitation of Mexican President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, it said.
Topics such as global economy, enhancement of international financial architecture, promotion of financial inclusion, green growth, infrastructure, food security and job creation will be discussed at the meeting.
During the summit, Hun Sen will address, among others, the issue of food and fuel's price inequality, strengthening of international financial resources and financial governance, it said.
The premier will hold bilateral talks with Hinojosa.

Cambodia marks World Blood Donor Day

PHNOM PENH, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Thursday observed the World Blood Donor Day, urging for more blood donations, while a latest report shows that 4 out of 1,000 people donate their blood.
The celebration under the theme "every blood donor is hero" was presided over by Cambodian Minister of Health Mam Bunheng and attended by some 500 health officials, foreign embassy officials to Cambodia, non-governmental organization representatives, and students.
Speaking at the event, Mam Bunheng said that the theme was to express profound thanks to blood donors and to encourage more people to donate their blood for life saving.
"Blood transfusion will not harm your health; instead, your blood will save lives of the patients," he told the gathering.
Hok Kim Cheng, director of National Blood Transfusion Center, said that last year, the center has received voluntary donations of 46,690 units of blood, up 14 percent from 40,245 units in a year earlier.
"We observe that more Cambodian have voluntarily donated their blood last year--4 out of 1,000 people donated their blood in 2011, up from 3 out of 1,000 people in 2010," he said.
All blood had been tested for four types of diseases: HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and malaria, he said, adding that blood contains one of these diseases will be destroyed.

Cambodia holds 4th int'l gems and jewelry exhibition

PHNOM PENH, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The 4th international gems and jewelry fair kicked off here on Thursday in a bid to promote Cambodia's fledgling gems and jewelry industry, Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh said.
The four-day event has brought together 69 exhibitors from Cambodia, Thailand, China's Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, and Singapore.
At the event, there have been gems and jewelry fashion shows and concerts.
"The exhibition is aimed at promoting the production of Cambodian jewelry for both domestic supply and export," the minister said during the opening of the fair at the Diamond Island Exhibition Center.
It was also to strengthen the product qualities and building necessary consumer trust of Cambodian gems and jewelry, he said.
"In the future, we want to turn Cambodia into a key market of gems and jewelry supply in Southeast Asia," Cham Prasidh said.
However, the minister acknowledged that currently, the designs and craftsmanship of Cambodian gems and jewelries are yet to meet the ever rising expectations of the markets.

Direct bus route between Phnom Penh and Bangkok officially opens

PHNOM PENH, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Direct bus route between Cambodia's Phnom Penh and Thailand's Bangkok was officially launched on Thursday. Officials believed that the launch will boost bilateral trade and tourism.
Under a bilateral agreement signed by the transport ministries of the two countries, Cambodia is allowed to issue licenses to 30 buses and 10 trucks, and Thailand is permitted to issue licenses to 30 trucks and 10 buses, Suon Vanhong, deputy director of the transport department at Cambodia's transport ministry, said Thursday.
"The start of the direct Phnom Penh-Bangkok bus route through Banteay Meanchey province's Poipet International Checkpoint will help promote the two countries' trade and tourism," he told Xinhua over telephone, adding that it will also cut travel time between the two capitals.
Craig Steffensen, Country Director of the Asian Development Bank's Thailand Resident Mission, said in a press release on Thursday that the ability to move people, goods, and vehicles across borders efficiently and responsibly is at the heart of regional economic integration.
"Today's launch will reduce logistics costs and facilitate economic growth and social development between Thailand, Cambodia and other Mekong nations," he said.
Cambodia borders Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. According to Suon Vanhong, to date, the country has direct cross-border bus route with all its neighbors.

Smoking prohibited at Cambodia's Angkor heritage site complex

PHNOM PENH, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has begun banning tourists from smoking cigarettes while they are visiting the inside complex of the Angkor Archaeological Park, one of the world heritage sites, officials said Thursday.
"We have informed our staff and tour guides to inform visitors not to smoke while they are exploring the temples," Sok Leakna, deputy director general of Apsara Authority, which is the body in charge of protection and management of the Angkor Archaeological Park, told Xinhua over telephone.
With the prohibition, the temples will be smoke-free and cleaned from cigarette ashes, he said, adding that non-smoking visitors will not be affected.
Sok Leakna said as the ban has just introduced, so there is no plan to fine the violators.
"Smoke banning at the temples is very good to prevent the temples from smoke and cigarette ashes," Minister of Tourism Thong Khon told Xinhua over telephone, adding that about 5,000 foreign tourists visit the temples everyday and the number is forecast to double in 2020.
"It will not pollute nonsmokers," he said.
Siem Reap's Angkor Archeological Park is the country's largest cultural tourism destination. It is located some 315 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
An entrance fee to visit the temples is 20 U.S. dollars a day for a foreign visitor, 40 U.S. dollars for a three-day visit and 60 U.S. dollars for a week-long visit.
Last year, the temples attracted 1.6 million foreign visitors, an increase of 23 percent.

Cambodian FM heads for U.S. to boost bilateral, ASEAN-U.S. ties

PHNOM PENH, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Chair of 2012 ASEAN, on Sunday evening left Cambodia for the United States on an official visit to boost bilateral relations and the ASEAN-U.S. ties.
Speaking at the Phnom Penh International Airport before his departure, Hor Namhong said, "The visit will tighten Cambodia-U.S. relations and the ASEAN-U.S. ties."
He is scheduled to meet the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on June 12, according to a press release from Cambodia's Foreign Ministry. He will also have a separate meeting with Senator Jim Webb, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs, and Daniel Russel, Special Assistant to the U.S. President Barack Obama in charge of East Asian Affairs.
Hor Namhong said during the upcoming meeting with Hillary, he will ask the U.S. side to reconsider relieving the debt that Cambodia owed in 1970s.
"In the past, there had been several times of negotiations between Cambodia's finance ministry and the U.S. on settling the debt... During the visit, I will ask the U.S. to continue negotiations to reach a solution that is acceptable to the two sides," he told reporters.
Cambodia owed the United States 162 million U.S. dollars in the Lon Nol regime between 1970 and 1975. Plus interest rate, to date, the debt has amounted to more than 400 million U.S. dollars, according to Cambodia's Foreign Ministry.
Cambodian government considers the debt as "dirty debt" and has urged the United States for years to convert the debt into aid, but Washington has not agreed to it yet.
Besides these issues, Hor Namhong said he will discuss regional issues with Hillary including the Korean peninsula.

Cambodian FM to visit US next week

PHNOM PENH, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Chair of 2012 ASEAN, will lead a delegation to pay an official visit to the United States of America on June 12, according to a press release from the Foreign Ministry on Friday.
During the visit, Hor Namhong will have a bilateral talk with the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said the press release. Also, he will have a separate meeting with Senator Jim Webb, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs, and Daniel Russel, Special Assistant to the President Barack Obama in charge for East Asian Affairs.
Besides, Hor Namhong will make an address on "Cambodia's development and Cambodia-U.S. relations" at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, it said.
The visit was made at the invitation of Hillary Clinton on May 17.
"Your visit would be an important opportunity to identify ways in which we can work together to broaden our bilateral relationship and advance common regional goals during your leadership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations," she said in the invitation letter.
She added that the visit would also deepen mutual understanding and identify ways to promote regional stability and ensure shared prosperity for U.S. and Cambodia, and the wider Asia Pacific region.