AKP, August 11, 2017 –The Royal Government of Cambodia released here this morning the official letter of Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen to his Lao counterpart H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith on the border dispute between the two countries.
The letter, dated Aug. 2, 2017, requested the Lao side to withdraw its armed forces from the area near O’ Alay and O’ Ta Ngav area, at the border of Stung Treng province of Cambodia and Attapeu province of Laos.
This three-page letter explained the Cambodia’s commitment to normalise the situation and her legal ownership of the conflicting area (O’ Alay and O’ Ta Ngav areas) based on the 11 pieces of map-Bonne 1/100,000 printed by the Service géographique de l’Indochine, especially the piece called PHIAFAY (EST) 146E produced in 1955, the B. SOMPOY D-48-XVII Edition 1987 of 1/200,000 printed by the Service géographique d’Etat.
Cambodia and Laos share a common border of 540 kilometres. 86 percent or 464.5 kilometres of the borderline has been already examined and 121 of the total 145 border markers have been so far planted.
This morning, Samdech Techo Hun Sen issued an ultimatum to the Lao side to withdraw its armed forces without condition from the Cambodian territory not later than Aug. 17, 2017, stressing that Cambodia does not want war, but we need to protect our territory.
By Khan Sophirom
