CFC-CBC 05012012 A

(Unofficial Translation from French)

The Imperial Frontiers of Vietnam

After their victory over the Americans in April 1975, Vietnam, reunited under the rule of Hanoi, behaves as a colonial power over the former French Indochina. Laos is placed under its de facto protectorate in 1977, Cambodia in 1979, by force. Hanoi rushed immediately to delineate the borders of the new Vietnam Empire with Laos, Cambodia, China, and also with Thailand, with approaches and procedures are always different, as it is facing a respectable State (China or Thailand) or one of its "colonies" (Laos and Cambodia). With China, in its negotiations on the land border and the Gulf of Tonkin, Hanoi meticulously relied on Agreements (texts, maps and border markers) between France and China from the late 19th century. But, Hanoi had to return portions of disputed territories to Beijing which has raised the abuse of power by the then French power in its "unequal treaties" - that is to say treaties imposed on China at a time when it has been weakened and dominated by Western colonialists. This has not prevented Hanoi to operate with great precision in linguistic and technical talks with Beijing on a border of "1449.566 km, of which 383.914 kilometers of rivers," even for regions virtually uninhabited. Discussions are made in a China-Vietnam Joint Committee, attended on either side by countless civilian and military experts, all supervised by their Deputy Foreign Ministers. Besides they have concluded a specific Protocol on demarcation and demarcation of their land boundary, and no less careful Agreements on the status of border management and border gates and their management, so that, according to the Vietnamese, "each section of each terminal and border are clearly determined by both words on drawings and maps." At the end of the demarcation, Hanoi is making all responsible Departments and Agencies as well as its heads of seven Vietnamese provinces bordering China, to monitor on site the effective and daily implementation of the Protocol and of the latter agreements with Beijing. That is, they say, and we agree with them, a "border of peace, friendship and stability" between the two neighbors. However, on the delimitation of its maritime boundary with Thailand, Vietnam has ignored all international rules on Cambodias interests - which is a country located between these two states and has 507 km of coastline and a continental shelf 95,000 km. Geographically, Vietnam and Thailand have no common land border. But by a Historic Waters Agreement of 7 July 1982 (during the Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia), and "in consideration of the real situation," Hun Sen has given to Vietnam Cambodian islands of Koh Tral and Koh Krachak (Poulo Pangjang), while recognizing the existence of so-called "common historical waters" for both countries. The notion of historic waters does not exist in international law, or in the historical record of relations between both countries. On December 5, 1986, in a note to the UN, the Republic of Singapore has refuted them as "not conform to the well-established rules of international law on the matter." In fact, until 2012, the maritime boundary between Vietnam and Cambodia is still not yet determined. But with the Agreement of 7 July 1982, recognizing the "common historic waters", Vietnam has simply used the right, since 1982, to extend its southwest maritime area from Hatien to Cambodian islands Koh Krachak Ses and Poulo Wai. Then, on August 9, 1997, he has just agreed with Thailand, without the presence of Cambodia, the delimitation of their respective continental shelves and exclusive economic zones. Obviously, Hun Sen did not raise a slightest protest. 1
c/o M. SEAN Pengs 6 Alle des Frnes, 77420 Champs-sur-Marne, France http://www.cfcambodge.org Tl : +33 (0)1.64.68.70.83 Email : pengse.sean@numericable.com - pengse.sean@gmail.com

The same Vietnam's behavior is found in its negotiations with Cambodia on the problems of land border between the two countries: only count the illegal and unequal territorial agreements that Hanoi has signed with Hun Sen in the 1980s, during its military occupation of Cambodia. Negotiations began in March 1999, conducted by the Cambodian side Va Kim Hong, Minister responsible for the issue of Cambodias borders, and his team of some ten officials and technicians. However, on maps of Cambodia left by France, Hanoi has suddenly found many "white zones", that had to be filled in his favor by the layouts of the maps of the U.S. Army (for Vietnam War) and by those of his own cards. Sure, on paper, they reported the scrupulous observance of international law, principles and practice of international legal elements that the French colonial administration used, the reality of the administration and the effective occupation of the population for several generations, etc.., etc.. Moreover, negotiations were held in total secrecy, except, occasionally, we hear Va Kim Hongs false statements that everything was done "in accordance with the Cambodia Constitution of Cambodia," in reference to the 1964 Cambodia map, or of Hun Sen that Cambodia would "won from Vietnam thousands of square kilometers of land and river areas" (sic!). In reality, water courses and entire Cambodian villages of Kompong Cham, Svay Rieng, Takeo and Kampot, have been "rendered" to Vietnam without compensation, even before the end of negotiations. Those who dare to raise protests against Vietnamese abuses or challenge the sitting of temporary markers of the border are immediately arrested and jailed. Thus, all other national bodies (the King, Parliament, Army ...) as well as border Cambodian populations, are neither consulted nor informed in advance about the details of the negotiations. However, in negotiations between Phnom Penh and Bangkok on Preah Vihear temple, and certainly on the advice of Vietnamese 'experts', there were interventions of Va Kim Hong, and also and especially of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ministers of the Presidency of the Government, of Foreign Affairs, of National Defence, and of local military commanders and the region, as well as of the provincial governor, followed by all kinds of public statements to denounce and insult the Thai leaders on its hypocrisy and misdeeds. In sum, unlike the Vietnam-China border, the Vietnam-Cambodia border has no legal value and no political value, especially as Hun Sen leaves it, on land and at sea, completely open at the Cambodian side to all penetrations from Vietnam. This is a simple administrative border of Vietnamese colonial power that can be changed at will. Therefore, Khmer Patriots have a legitimate and inalienable right to seek every means to abolish it completely and without delay. For their survival and for the sustainability of their sacred Homeland! Paris, June 24, 2012 For The Border Committee of Cambodia in France and worldwide, Dy Kareth

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c/o M. SEAN Pengs 6 Alle des Frnes, 77420 Champs-sur-Marne, France http://www.cfcambodge.org Tl : +33 (0)1.64.68.70.83 Email : pengse.sean@numericable.com - pengse.sean@gmail.com