[Vietnamization] Cambodia’s border demarcation map indistinguishable from France’s

Cambodia’s border demarcation map indistinguishable from France’s

The map the Cambodian Government is using to demarcate the country’s border with Vietnam is identical with the map it borrowed from France, showed the verification conducted by Cambodia’s border commission.

VietnamNet | 3 September 2015

Maps are shown to the participants at the verification on September 3.

The verification was held at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on September 3 in the presence of representatives of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) and the FUNCINPEC Party. It was also attended by those from the Senate, the National Assembly, the Supreme Council of the Magistracy, the Constitutional Council, the Royal Academy, the French Embassy in Phnom Penh, and Cambodian and foreign journalist agencies.

Secretary of State and Chairman of the border commission Var Kimhong made it clear that there is no difference between the map of Cambodia published by the Geographical Service of Indochina and the one that the Cambodia-Vietnam Joint Committee on Land Border Demarcation and Marker Planting has been using.

Earlier, French Chargé d’ Affaires to Cambodia Alan Fontang handed over a 26-piece map preserved by France, scale 1/100,000, to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong in response to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s request.

After the presentation ceremony, Hor Namhong declared that it is the official map produced by France, and thus the result of the verification should end all contention regarding border demarcation with Vietnam.

Spokesman of the Cambodian Government and Minister of State Phay Siphan told Vietnam News Agency correspondents that the verification ensures the transparency, soundness and accuracy of the Cambodian Government’s responsibility in border demarcation and marker planting work with Vietnam.

It also puts an end to irresponsible forces inciting extreme nationalism and driving a wedge in national solidarity, he added, noting that the result also highlights the Cambodian Government’s resolve to build a clear borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development with neighbours.

On August 20, Cambodia’s border commission compared an 18-piece map lent by the UN to the one used to demarcate the border with Vietnam and affirmed that the two maps are the same.

The CNRP had previously accused the Cambodian Government of using a map incongruent to the one preserved by the UN. Several CNRP members organised demonstrations at shared border areas between the two countries and even caused violent conflicts, including the incident at the border marker No. 203 in the Cambodian province of Svay Rieng on June 28.

VNA