Hun Sen Thursday defends his plan to sign additional border treaty to the 1985 border treaty with Vietnam next week saying it will help the people living along the border to draw benefits from the river such as fishing, drawing water, travelling, etc...
He said that now Vietnam controls the area. He adds that the area is 173km wide, and there are 20 some talking points to consider, and Vietnam controls the water, so the Cambodian people have to ask for permission from Vietnam for water usage. He also said that after the signing, the Cambodian people will be able to use the river freely.
He adds that the border line on the Cambodian side will go half way into the Vietnam side. Prime Minister Hun Sen will go to Vietnam next Monday. He blames the French for drawing a wrong map contrary to the French administration which instructed otherwise.
Mr. Chuop Kampuchea, Cambodia Organization for the Border Defense's president, says that he sent a letter to the Paris Agreement's co-president to intervene in the signing of the additional border treaty to the 1985 treaty with Vietnam since it is contrary to the Paris Agreement.
He also files complaints to the French and Indonesian Embasies in Phnom Penh, the countries signing the Paris Agreement, to stop this signing, which should be null. He adds that there should be another meeting about all the talking points related to Cambodia's integrity which the current Cambodian leaders and the neighboring countries signing the Paris Agreement do not respect. He said that this additional border treaty will result in Cambodia losing much more territories.
Opposition Sam Rainsy party's secretary, Mr. Eng Chhay Eang, cannot be reached for comments. Border activists, NGO association, the Student Movement for Democracy, all oppose this treaty and appeal for the government to abandon this plan which does not bring benefit to the nation.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said that he will file a law suit against this allegation about this groundless loss of territories. He said that the border problem is a political instrument used as a vehicle in all occasion and during election campaign.
He said that if Cambodia loses her territories, there would be a protest, refugees, a war with Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. He said that there are 7 talking points and he and Vietnamese leaders agree on 6 of them. Mr. Hun Sen said that the map kept at the UN, and the one after the treaty signing, will be brought back together and they are not different.
Former King Norodom Sihanouk said that King Sihamoni is not in Cambodia to sign this controversial treaty. The acting head of state will decide whether or not he will sign it.