Vietnam, Cambodia review border demarcation

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son and Cambodian Senior Minister Var Kimhong have reviewed the implementation of an MoU on land border area adjustment signed between the two governments last April.

 

At their meeting in Phnom Penh from March 12-14, the two sides agreed to complete border demarcation and marker placement prior to the end of June this year.

 

The two sides will organize a State-level ceremony to inaugurate border marker No. 314, the final marker on the Vietnam-Cambodia land border, in June this year, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

 

They agreed that most of the land border demarcation activities have been completed, however the two sides need to further increase bilateral cooperation and make more efforts to fulfill the task and build up a file of Vietnam-Cambodia border legal documents.

 

The documents include a protocol on border demarcation and marker placement, an agreement on border management regulations, an agreement on border gates and border gate management and a Vietnam-Cambodia border atlas.

 

On the occasion, the two officials signed an agreement saying that the Vietnamese Government will provide financial support to Cambodia for the publication of the Vietnam-Cambodia border atlas.

 

 

Source: Tuoi Tre

Vietnam asks China to end sovereignty violations

Vietnam asks the Chinese side to respect the country’s sovereignty and end all activities violating its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, making practical contributions to maintaining peace and stability on the East Sea.

 

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi. Photo: VNA

Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi made the request on March 15 in response to the Chinese side’s recent activities over Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

 

The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has recently offered oil and gas tenders for 19 lots in the north of the East Sea , including Lot 65/24, about one nautical mile from the Tree Island of the Hoang Sa archipelago.

 

On March 2, the Guard Ship Fleet No. 11 of China conducted a live ammunition drill in the waters of the Hoang Sa archipelago.

 

On March 7, at the fifth session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the Deputy Director of the National Administration of Tourism of China (NATC) said the NATC and the authorities of Hainan province are cooperating to expand tourist activities on the Hoang Sa archipelago.

 

On March 12, on the “Powerful Nation Forum of the People’s Network, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China said in its 12 th five-year plan, China will build an archaeological center at the bottom of the East Sea and a working station on the Hoang Sa archipelago.

 

The Hainan authorities also plan to organize a yacht race from San Ya to the Hoang Sa archipelago on March 28.

 

According to the Vietnamese spokesman, Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos are inseparable parts of the Vietnamese territory. The above-mentioned activities of China have seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago and international law and went against the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) signed in 2002 between ASEAN and China.

 

“These acts run counter to the common perception of the two countries’ high-ranking leaders and are not beneficial to the development of the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and China,” Nghi stressed.

 

Source: Tuoi Tre

Vietnamese Justice Ministry delegation visits Laos

On March 7 the Prime Minister of Laos, Thongsing Thammavong, received a delegation from Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice headed by Minister Ha Hung Cuong, in the capital city of Vientiane.

Lao PM Thongsing Thammavong receives Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong. Photo: VNA

The PM thanked the delegation for their visit and said he believed that their trip will help to promote more cooperation and solidarity between both ministries.

He said the talks between the two justice ministries were extremely fruitful and promoted joint initiatives on human resources training for Laos.

Laos is currently preparing for Laos-Vietnam Solidarity Year and across the country the authorities are highlighting the special relationship that exists between both countries, especially to young people. It is now 35 years since the signing of the Friendship and Cooperation Treaty and 50 years of Vietnamese-Laotian diplomatic ties.

Cuong said that there has been an increase in cooperation between both ministries, especially since the conference on justice, attended by provinces lying on each side of the Vietnam-Laos border. He stated that both Ministries of Justice have prioritised human resources training to develop the justice system.

Earlier, the delegation held talks with Laos’ Ministry of Justice, led by Minister Chaleune Yapaoher. They reviewed the outcomes of joint initiatives in 2011 and put forward proposals for 2012.

VNA