Vietnam-Cambodia border demarcation a ‘historic’ achievement

The two countries have completed 84 percent of their border demarcation and agreed to continue negotiations to complete the remaining 16 percent soon, the officials said at a conference organized Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to review 20 years (1999-2019) of border demarcation.

By September 2019, Vietnam and Cambodia had set up 315 main landmarks, 1,511 sub-landmarks and 221 markers, demarcating more than 1,044 km, about 84 percent of the border.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said the completion of 84 percent of border demarcation and marker erections is an important milestone and a great achievement.

“We have an agreement with Cambodia that the two sides will continue to negotiate and soon complete the demarcation and marking the remaining 16 percent of the border,” he said.

Chairman of the National Border Committee Nguyen Minh Vu said the results achieved in Vietnam-Cambodia border demarcation were very important and historic. It highlighted the mission to form a clear border between the two countries, creating favorable conditions for border management, ensuring security and order in the border areas.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said on the basis of the 1985 treaty on national border planning, from 1986-1988, Vietnam and Cambodia completed the demarcation of about 200 km on the border and erected 72 markers. However, in early 1989, for some technical reasons as well as the political situation of Cambodia, the process was paused.

In 1999, when the situation in Cambodia has stabilized, border negotiations resumed. On October 10, 2005, the two countries signed an additional treaty on the border demarcation .

The border between the two countries starts at the Vietnam – Laos – Cambodia border junction and ends at marker 314 on the border of Kien Giang Province in Vietnam with Kampot Province in Cambodia.