Friday, 17 September 2010

AKP - Agent Kampuchea Press


via CAAI

Australian Ambassador Bids Farewell to NA President

Phnom Penh, September 17, 2010 AKP -- Australian Ambassador to Cambodia, Ms. Margaret Adamson paid here on Sept. 16 a farewell visit to National Assembly President Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin.

The out-going Australian diplomat highly evaluated Cambodia’s development in all domains. She was delighted with her mission in Cambodia, during which, she said, she has contributed to helping Cambodia in human resource development, agriculture, infrastructure, law enforcement and judicial reform.

For his part, Samdech Heng Samrin thanked the Australian government and people or their assistance to Cambodia and he hoped that Ms. Margaret Adamson will continue to help strengthen and expand the ties of friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the two countries and peoples even though she ended her diplomatic mission here.

According to the Cambodian NA president, from 1996 to 2008, Australia provided some AU$527,498,000 for socioeconomic development in Cambodia.

On the same day, out-going Australian Ambassador was also received by Cambodian Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Mrs. Men Sam An. --AKP

(By CHEA Vannak)

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20 Communes of Kandal Province to Become an Urban Area in the First Step

Phnom Penh, September 17, 2010 AKP -- Twenty communes of four districts in Kandal province are to be inserted into Phnom Penh city, to the extent that the municipality has been extended in the 5th time since Samdech Hun Sen held office as a premier in 1985.

Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen said that the enlargement of Phnom Penh is required to have the development as quickly as possible after the cabinet minister meeting decided recently to take 27 communes from Kandal province.

Speaking at the inauguration of the project for flood protection and drainage improvement in the municipality of Phnom Penh, Samdech Techo Hun Sen said more 7 communes of the districts of Lavea Em and Ksach Kandal, located on the other side of the Mekong River will be included in the municipal control in the next step, because those communes could not be taken yet at this time.

The project for flood protection and drainage improvement in the municipality of Phnom Penh is built when a fund is made available through a Japanese grant of over 19 million US dollars.

Cambodian prime minister signed on Sept. 15 an agreement as requested by Deputy Prime Minister H.E Sar Kheng, Minister of Interior to form a commission for transferring the number of population and the infrastructures of the 20 communes to Phnom Penh administration management in the interests of the development and the construction of additional public facilities with an objective of turning the rural area to become a city.

The 20 communes under the control of Phnom Penh administration are part of the districts of Ponhea Leu, Ang Snuol, Kandal Steung and Kien Svay.

Meanwhile, the Cambodian premier expressed concern about the lower level of the Mekong River.

He also appealed to the Cambodian people to beware of the rainfall that follows one after another in the next few days.--AKP

(By THOU Peou)

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Cambodia, India Promote Trade Cooperation

Phnom Penh, September 17, 2010 AKP -- Visiting Indian President Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil has encouraged Cambodian and Indian businessmen and investors to increase their bilateral cooperation.

This is a good opportunity for the businessmen of the two countries to establish contacts and to look for trade potentialities from each other, the Indian president said at the Cambodia-India Business Forum held on Sept. 15 at the Intercontinental Hotel.

The two peoples have known each other for over 2,000 years ago, but their bilateral trade amounted to only US$50 million, she said.

The forum, co-chaired by Indian President Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil and Cambodian Commerce Minister H.E. Cham Prasidh, drew about 70 Cambodian businessmen who represented 40 companies and Indian investors from three main associations – Confederation of Indian Industry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Also on the same day, a group of Indian businessmen met with Delegate Minister and Secretary General of the Council for the Development of Cambodia H.E. Sok Chenda to learn more about the country’s investment environment and opportunities.

The Indian delegation is interested in the fields of agriculture, food processing and infrastructure as well as hydroelectricity, solar power and mine, H.E. Sok Chenda told reporters upon the meeting.

As of August 2010, Cambodia has got investments in all domains with the total values of US$30 billion, he said.

The group of Indian businessmen and investors is accompanying the Indian president to pay a state visit in Cambodia from Sept. 13 to 18. --AKP

(By KHAN Sophirom)

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PM Hun Sen Inaugurates Flood Protection and Drainage System Improvement Facility

Phnom Penh, September 17, 2010 AKP -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has profoundly thanked the people and government of Japan for their continuous assistance and support to Cambodia in the national restoration and construction.

Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen was speaking in Phnom Penh Thursday at the inauguration of US$19.2 million flood protection and drainage system improvement facility built for the Capital of Phnom Penh with the Japan’s grant aid.

“It is our national achievement that resulted from proper and clear consideration of the Royal Government of Cambodia and from the joint efforts of the relevant ministries and agencies, Phnom Penh Municipality, and the Government of Japan,” he said.

Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen called on all people and local authorities at all levels to help protect and preserve the achievement, which, he said, was for the common benefit and the historic heritage as well.

Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Mr. Kuroki Masafumi said he was delighted to have known that the officials of the Municipality of Phnom Penh had performed the effective works to preserve the flood protection and drainage system facility.

Appealing to the people of Phnom Penh to cooperate in the preservation of the facility, he said their participation was really important to demonstrate their mastership of the facility.

“We have to continue to work together to develop the Capital of Phnom Penh at present and in the future to make it become an important source of economic growth, representing the progressive society in the modern era, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen pointed out.

He underlined the importance of participation by people in making the city clean, saying “despite having a prime minister or a governor who is one hundred times better, it would still be impossible to achieve because making a country progressive necessarily requires the people’s participation.” --AKP

(By Ravuth M.)

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File 002: Four Senior Khmer Rouge Leaders Indicted and Sent for Trial

Phnom Penh, September 17, 2010 AKP -- The Co-Investigating Judges of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), You Bunleng and Marcel Lemonde, signed the Closing Order for Case File 002, indicting four senior Khmer Rouge leaders and sending them for trial.

The four Khmer Rouge leaders – Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith and Khieu Samphan – were indicted on charges of crimes against humanity, genocide against Cham Muslims and Vietnamese, grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and offences under the Cambodian Criminal Code 1956, the co-investigating judges said at a press conference here on Sept. 16.

According to Judge You Bunleng, 2,000 of the 4,000 Civil Party applications have been declared admissible.

The co-investigating judges also signed a Dismissal Order in respect of Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, who had been tried and convicted separately by the ECCC on July 26, 2010.

On the occasion, Marcel Lemonde announced his resignation as of December. He will be replaced by German Siegfried Blunk.

Nuon Chea, 84, was former national assembly president; Ieng Sary, 84, former deputy prime minister and foreign minister; his wife, Ieng Thearith, 77, former minister of social affairs; and Khieu Samphan, 78, former head of state of the Democratic Kampuchea, the genocidal regime between 1975-1979, which resulted in millions of victims, including an estimated 1.7 to 2.2 million deaths, of which approximately 800,000 were violent.

The hearing for the four accused would begin in the first semester of 2011, said You Bunleng. --AKP

(By SOKMOM Nimul)

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