Cambodia, Vietnam maritime issues still unsolved: Hun Sen

10-Aug-2012

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday said the maritime boundary between Cambodia and Vietnam has not been solved but that Cambodia had lost its claim to Koh Trol.

"Accusations have been made that Cambodia has lost 10,000 square kilometres of sea to Vietnam," he said during a marathon five-hour address to the National Assembly.

"In fact, however, the maritime boundary with Vietnam has not yet been determined and not a single drop of seawater has been lost to Vietnam."

To determine the maritime boundary, Hun Sen said Cambodia’s position was to use the Brevie Line, a line drawn up in 1939 by Jules Brevie, the French governor of Indochina.

By using the Brevie Line, however, Cambodia lost its right to claim Koh Trol, a large island off Kampot now known as Phu Quoc which has been administered by Vietnam since 1939.

Hun Sen said Cambodia had maintained its position to use the Brevie Line to determine the maritime boundary with Vietnam since the King Father ruled Cambodia in the 1960s.

In 1964, he said, the then Prince Norodom Sihanouk used a map with the Brevie Line for the international community and Vietnam to recognise its maritime boundary.

Hun Sen added that the King Father had tried his best to protect Cambodia’s territory.