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Friday, April 22, 2011

Cambodian King snubs Royal Wedding

THE King of Cambodia is the only royal to not reply to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding invitation.

King Norodom Sihamoni has not replied to the invitation from Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton, "The Sun" reported Saturday.

Sihamoni, 57, a shaven-headed former ballet dancer and instructor, would not be the first Cambodian king to snub a British royal wedding.

In 1963, his dad, Sihanouk, refused to attend Princess Alexandra's wedding after being told he would not get a guard of honor and could not stay at Windsor Castle.



No Show:  Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni is snubbed an invitation to attend the royal wedding on April 29 - AP
 Sihamoni, who took the throne in 2004, lived under house arrest with his dad in the 1970s while the Khmer Rouge regime murdered 1.5 million Cambodians.

News of the snub came as the list of guests for the April 29 wedding was published by "The Sun".

It includes 388 close friends and associates invited by groom William, 28, and his 29-year-old bride-to-be, Middleton.

Among them are Victoria and David Beckham, Mr Bean funnyman Rowan Atkinson, posh TV presenter Ben Fogle, rugby supremo Sir Clive Woodward and "Lock Stock" director Guy Ritchie.

Also listed are 254 relatives and friends of the Middleton family.

The Queen and Prince Charles drafted a list of 255 VIPs and aristocrats - including 62 foreign royals and heads of state.

A further 1000 guests, including politicians, senior civil servants and foreign diplomats, received invitations via the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

The list also shows that Middleton invited her favorite fashion designer to Westminster Abbey - the strongest hint yet to the identity of her mystery dressmaker. Brazilian-born Daniella Helayel, who has made clothes for Madonna and Sharon Stone, also created her engagement outfit.
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Singapore urges Thailand, Cambodia to resolve border disputes through talks

SINGAPORE, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry expressed deep concern on Friday over fresh border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia and urged restraint on both sides.

"We urge Cambodia and Thailand to resolve their differences through negotiations," the ministry said in a statement. " Singapore supports the efforts by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa who has been in touch with his Cambodian and Thai counterparts after the clashes today."

Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire over their disputed border earlier on Friday.

Tensions have been high since a skirmish in February in the area where the Preah Vihear temple stands.

Indonesia, currently the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has been actively facilitating dialogue between Thailand and Cambodia to resolve their differences peacefully. Singapore is also a member of ASEAN.

"This is important for the long term relationship of Cambodia and Thailand, as well as in the broader interests of ASEAN," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore said.
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Thai, Cambodian armies clash on border; 6 killed

By THANYARAT DOKSONE and SOPHENG CHEANG, Associated Press

BANGKOK – Thailand and Cambodia exchanged artillery and gunfire for several hours Friday in a flare-up of a long-running border dispute, and their militaries said six soldiers were killed.


Ap-A Thai soldier injured in a fighting with
Cambodia is hilped by his comrades and
a nurse after arriving
The fighting near the ancient temples of Ta Krabey and Ta Moan forced thousands of civilians on both sides to flee. Cambodia says artillery fell on villages and other areas as far as 13 miles (21 kilometers) inside its territory.

It was the first skirmish reported since four days of fighting in February, when eight soldiers and civilians were killed near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the east of Friday's fighting.

A decades-old border dispute over ancient temples and the land surrounding them has fueled nationalist passions in both countries. Clashes have erupted several times since 2008, when Preah Vihear was given U.N. World Heritage status.

Each side blamed the other for the resumption of fighting.

Thai army spokeswoman Lt. Col. Siriya Khuangsirikul said three Thai soldiers had been killed, and 13 wounded, one critically. Cambodian defense spokesman Lt. Gen. Chhum Socheat said three Cambodian soldiers were killed and six wounded.

Cambodia's Bayon TV, which has close links to the government, showed footage Friday night of damaged houses and civilians being evacuated by farm vehicles to schools and Buddhist pagodas 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the front lines.

A statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Thailand said the country had "exercised its inherent right of self-defense on the basis of necessity, proportionality and strictly directed at military targets from where the attacks were launched by Cambodian troops."

Indonesia, chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, called for an immediate cease-fire and further efforts to resolve the border dispute. Fighting stopped by early afternoon, but no cease-fire had been reached, Cambodia said.

Tensions between the neighbors have been exacerbated in recent months in part by pressure from influential Thai nationalist groups, which have protested in Bangkok urging the government to take back land awarded to Cambodia by an international court ruling.

The flare-up comes as the Thai military raises its profile in domestic politics ahead of a general election expected to be held by early July. The army had previously effectively vetoed an agreed-on plan to station Indonesian observers to monitor the border situation.

Cambodia in a note from Foreign Minister Hor Namhong to the president of the U.N. Security Council accused Thailand of refusing to accept the Indonesian monitors so it could carry out "this deliberate act of aggression."

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters his government was investigating the cause of Friday's clash and said despite a pause in fighting, the situation was volatile.

"What we would like reiterate is the position of troops of both countries are close to each other. Therefore, any movement can lead to clashes," Abhisit said.

Abhisit called for a meeting of one of the bilateral committees the two countries have set up to discuss border issues.

Reiterating Thailand's stance on its dispute with Cambodia, he said it was not necessary for ASEAN or other multinational bodies to take up the matter, because then "it will be harder to solve."

Cambodia insists bilateral talks are unproductive and a third party's participation would be useful.

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Sopheng Cheang reported from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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PM Dung’s visit will boost ties with Cambodia

Nguyen Tan Yuon's visit to Cambodia is not a surprised for Cambodia.  it is a tripped for gold digging and stealing from Khmers.  Yuon and Khmer friendship is totally disadvantages for Cambodia.

(VOV) - Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to Cambodia and his co-chairing the second Vietnam-Cambodia investment promotion conference on April 23 and 24 is expected to accelerate bilateral trade and investment ties.

The relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia has developed in various fields since the establishment of diplomatic ties on June 24, 1967.

Bilateral cooperation mechanisms including the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Commission for Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, the Conference on the development and cooperation of border provinces and the Joint Border Committee meet annually and have brought practical results. The regular exchange of the two countries’ delegations, especially the recent visits by the two countries’ leaders, have helped fasten the fine neighbouring relationship, traditional friendship and long-term sustainable comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Two-way trade has increased from US$1.33 billion in 2009 to US$1.8 billion in 2010. Vietnam has almost 90 investment projects with a combined capital of more than US$2 billion in Cambodia. These projects involve in rubber plantation, mining, oil and gas exploration, power supply development, telecom, finance and banking. The two countries have shown their keen interest in promoting bilateral ties in education and training, energy-power, healthcare and transport.

Both countries’ leaders have affirmed their determination to complete land demarcation and landmark erection in 2012 in order to build a common border of peace, stability, cooperation and development in line with the two peoples’ traditions and customs.

Vietnam and Cambodia have also accelerated bilateral cooperation between border provinces in education, healthcare, culture, science and technology. The two nations have successfully held the Conference on the development and cooperation of the Cambodia-Vietnam border provinces at the deputy prime minister level and the Vietnam-Cambodia border trade development conference at the level of industry and trade/trade minister.

Furthermore, the two nations have promoted cooperation within the framework of regional and international cooperation such as the Mekong River Commission (MRC), the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), the Ayeyawady-Chao Praya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV), and the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle (CLV).

PM Dung’s upcoming visit to Cambodia aims to affirm Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to enhancing its relations with Cambodia and the determination of the Vietnamese Government and people to join the Cambodian Government and people in bringing their bilateral ties to a new height for mutual interest.

Both sides are expected to review the investment cooperation results since the first Vietnam-Cambodia investment promotion conference, discuss solutions and policies to boost investment, trade and tourism cooperation and sign a number of cooperation documents.

Around 100 Vietnamese businesses are expected to be present at the second Vietnam-Cambodia investment promotion conference. PM Dung is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Cambodia-Vietnam Securities Joint Stock Company (CVS) and the handover of overseas investment licenses to Vietnamese businesses.
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