Map used by Cambodia identical to UN’s

The map that the Cambodian Government is using in determining its border with Vietnam is the same as the one preserved by the United Nations (UN) since 1964.

Cambodia’s coordinating committee on receiving and checking maps revealed the verification’s outcomes on August 20. The map verification took place in front of representatives of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), the FUNCINPEC Party, the Senate and the National Assembly, and UN officials, among others.

The 1/100,000-ratio map was handed to Cambodian Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Nam Hong by Acting President of the UN Library Mereani Keleti Vakasika on the same day.

According to the Deputy PM, the verification would help inspire confidence in the Cambodian Government’s responsibility for and dedication to national rights.

The CNRP had previously accused the Cambodian Government of using a map incongruent to the one preserved by the UN. A number of the CNRP members organised demonstrations gathering thousands of people at common border areas and even caused violent conflicts at a border marker in Svay Rieng province of Cambodia on June 28.

Given this, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen wrote to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, requesting the UN map for comparison.

Spokesperson of the Cambodian Government and Secretary of State Phay Siphan told Vietnam News Agency correspondent that this was the last act by the Government to publicise the soundness and transparency of border negotiations and demarcations with Vietnam.

The Cambodian Government will severely punish any actions that distort border issues in line with the law, he added.

Earlier, Deputy Head of the Cambodia’s National Border Committee Koy Pisey rejected the CNRP’s request to borrow the UN’s maps for self-assessment due to strict regulations of the organisation.-VNA