(Phnom Penh): Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen reaffirmed that Cambodia will not recognize any unilaterally drawn maps by Thailand, addressing in a special message on Monday (Jun. 16).

Samdech Techo clearly stated that Cambodia only recognizes maps that are consistent with the Franco-Siamese treaty of 1907.

“According to the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which defines the correct usage of maps, no unilaterally drawn map shall be accepted unless that map corresponds to the official map stipulated in the Franco-Siamese treaty of 1907,” Samdech underscored.

According to his remarks, the map derived from the Franco-Siamese treaty of 1907 has been consistently used, including by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, especially during its ruling in 1962. Samdech Techo Hun Sen reiterated that Cambodia does not recognize any maps other than this.

The Senate president also highly praised the work of the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), acknowledging the positive results of their meetings—despite not having yet achieved full consensus on all issues.

Cambodia’s stance was further clarified by Minister in charge of the Border Affairs Secretariat, Lam Chea, who informed the Thai side that the Royal Government of Cambodia remains committed to a peaceful policy. The goal is to establish a border based on peace, friendship, and good cooperation with Thailand—grounded in legal principles and mutually agreed maps, as stipulated in the 2000 MoU.

Under the terms of this MoU, both parties agreed to use 1/200,000 scale maps based on the spirit of the Franco-Siamese Treaties of 1904 and 1907 to guide the demarcation process and the installation of boundary pillars.

In this context, the Cambodian side categorically rejected the use of any maps unilaterally drawn by Thailand, identifying such documents as the underlying cause of past, present, and potentially future border disputes.
=FRESH NEWS