Joint Statementon the New Partnership Between Japan and Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Sen of the Royal Government of Cambodia paid an official visit to Japan, June 13 through 16, 2007 at the invitation of the Government of Japan. During his visit, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Hun Sen held a summit meeting on June 14, 2007, and issued this statement:
We reaffirm the strong ties and mutual trust that have been nurtured between Japan and Cambodia through our history of cooperation. Cambodia praises Japan's active role in realizing peace and prosperity around the world. It also expresses its deep gratitude to the government and people of Japan for their substantial contributions to the peace process and the post-conflict reconstruction of Cambodia, including their support for the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) peace-keeping operations. Japan commends Cambodia for realizing peace, advancing national reconstruction, achieving rapid economic growth, and beginning to play a broader role in the international community. We take pride in our cooperation in the peace building and national reconstruction in Cambodia, which offers a successful model to the world.
The partnership between our two countries has entered a new phase. We are determined to further strengthen our bilateral relationship and address regional and global challenges together.
Realizing fundamental values
We reaffirm the importance of fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law, and welcome Cambodia's steadfast progress toward realizing these values. Elections in Cambodia have come to be conducted in a fairer and freer manner. Japan will continue assistance to strengthen democracy in Cambodia.
We welcome the official establishment of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia for prosecuting crimes and serious violations of Cambodian and international humanitarian law during the period of Democratic Kampuchea. Cambodia appreciates Japan's contribution to the trials by providing more than 21 million USD and sending a judge to the Supreme Court Chamber. We hope that the trials will proceed promptly and fairly to achieve justice and national reconciliation in Cambodia.
Cambodia appreciates Japan's assistance in drafting the Civil Code and the Civil Procedure Code and will further try to develop its legal system. Japan will continue to assist Cambodia in fields related to the rule of law, which is a prerequisite for sustaining human security in the country.
Enhancing Economic Relations
Cambodia appreciates the important role of Japan's official development assistance in the sustainable development and poverty reduction in Cambodia. Japan highly values Cambodia's efforts for national development under the "Rectangular Strategy" and will continue to assist such efforts. Cambodia is committed to effective and efficient use of the assistance. We welcome the signing of the Notes on the project for Flood Protection and Drainage Improvement in the Municipality of Phnom Penh (Phase II) and the project for Human Resource Development Scholarship.
Trade and investment are important for the sustainable economic growth in Cambodia. We welcome the signing of the Agreement between Japan and the Kingdom of Cambodia for the Liberalization, Promotion and Protection of Investment, and hope that Japan's investments in Cambodia will be promoted by this Agreement. Japan will send a business mission composed of both government and private sector representatives to Cambodia. Cambodia will make the utmost efforts to realize a more favorable investment environment including the enhancement of special economic zones.
We believe that a more integrated regional economy will contribute to sustainable development in Cambodia. Cambodia highly values Japan's support for the Mekong Region Development, including assistance for the "Development Triangle", and welcomes the Japan-Mekong Region Partnership Program. Japan's assistance related to the "Second East-West Economic Corridor" as well as the "Cambodia Growth Corridor" has been enhancing the regional network. We will expeditiously proceed toward the construction of the Second Mekong Bridge at Neak Loeung as a top priority. Cambodia will effectively use the infrastructure established with Japan's aid by promoting such reforms as harmonization of customs procedures and mutual recognition of vehicles for cross-border transportation.
Promoting Mutual Understanding
Mutual understanding enhanced through people-to-people exchanges is a basis for a close relationship between our two countries. Japan has supported human capacity building in Cambodia by sending experts including Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) and by accepting Cambodian students and trainees. Japan's NGOs implemented humanitarian assistance in Cambodia even before the Paris Peace Agreement of 1991. Based on such experiences, we will have more frequent high-level visits and expand people-to-people exchanges.
Japan will aim to invite more than 1,000 Cambodian youths to Japan in the coming five years under various programs including the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Program. We hope that Cambodian students who study in Japan or learn Japanese will play a more active role in various fields in Cambodia.
We believe that an increase in tourists from Japan to Cambodia will enhance mutual understanding and promote Cambodian development. We will cooperate actively to preserve the Angkor Monuments. Japan, as co-chair of the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor, will continue its assistance in the preservation and restoration work. Cambodia will pursue harmonized development in Siem Reap Province by taking into account the impacts of increased tourism.
Addressing regional and global challenges
ASEAN plays an important role in regional cooperation in East Asia. Cambodia appreciates Japan's continued support for ASEAN integration as well as Japan's initiative in the East Asia Summit and other regional cooperation frameworks. We welcome the recent progress in the negotiation of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, particularly in that the ASEAN and Japanese Economic Ministers confirmed that ASEAN and Japan mutually accepted the modalities in principle.
Regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, we fully support the Six Party Talks and swift implementation of the agreement reached at the Six-Party Talks on February 13, 2007, as a first step towards full implementation of the Joint Statement of September 19, 2005, in good faith. We emphasize the importance of steadily implementing United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1695 and 1718. We hope that progress will be made in the talks between Japan and North Korea on bilateral issues. We stress the importance of resolving the abduction issue as early as possible, and will cooperate on this issue. Cambodia will support the next United Nations General Assembly resolution on the situation of human rights in North Korea, and Japan highly appreciates this decision.
We will actively work together to realize an early reform of the United Nations Security Council through the expansion of both its permanent and non-permanent membership. Japan appreciates Cambodia's continuous support for Japan as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, which has been repeatedly stated at the UN and other International conferences, as well as during the summit meeting between Cambodia, Lao, Vietnam and Japan, held in Vientiane in 2004. In this regard, Cambodia reiterates its strong support for a broader and more active role of Japan in the International Organizations.
Cambodia praises Japan for its initiative in promoting human security by showing leadership in addressing various cross-border issues such as poverty, infectious diseases, environment, peace-building, disarmament, non-proliferation, human trafficking, and illicit narcotic drugs. Japan highly values Cambodia's contribution to promoting world peace by participating in the Sudanese PKO and addressing problems of landmines and small arms in other conflicting countries such as Afghanistan, based on its own experience. It will assist Cambodia's efforts through the recently launched initiative for human resource development in peace-building. We will further strengthen cooperation on these global agenda.
We reaffirm the importance of global environment issues, in particular climate change. Cambodia appreciates Japan's recent proposal on climate change "Cool Earth 50", and supports the idea to set a long-term target of cutting global emissions by half from the current level by 2050 as a common goal for the entire world. We will actively cooperate in accordance with the proposal in establishing an effective international framework to address global warming beyond 2012 in which all major emitting countries participate.
Tokyo, June 14, 2007
Shinzo ABEPrime Minister of Japan
HUN SenPrime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Sen of the Royal Government of Cambodia paid an official visit to Japan, June 13 through 16, 2007 at the invitation of the Government of Japan. During his visit, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Hun Sen held a summit meeting on June 14, 2007, and issued this statement:
We reaffirm the strong ties and mutual trust that have been nurtured between Japan and Cambodia through our history of cooperation. Cambodia praises Japan's active role in realizing peace and prosperity around the world. It also expresses its deep gratitude to the government and people of Japan for their substantial contributions to the peace process and the post-conflict reconstruction of Cambodia, including their support for the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) peace-keeping operations. Japan commends Cambodia for realizing peace, advancing national reconstruction, achieving rapid economic growth, and beginning to play a broader role in the international community. We take pride in our cooperation in the peace building and national reconstruction in Cambodia, which offers a successful model to the world.
The partnership between our two countries has entered a new phase. We are determined to further strengthen our bilateral relationship and address regional and global challenges together.
Realizing fundamental values
We reaffirm the importance of fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law, and welcome Cambodia's steadfast progress toward realizing these values. Elections in Cambodia have come to be conducted in a fairer and freer manner. Japan will continue assistance to strengthen democracy in Cambodia.
We welcome the official establishment of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia for prosecuting crimes and serious violations of Cambodian and international humanitarian law during the period of Democratic Kampuchea. Cambodia appreciates Japan's contribution to the trials by providing more than 21 million USD and sending a judge to the Supreme Court Chamber. We hope that the trials will proceed promptly and fairly to achieve justice and national reconciliation in Cambodia.
Cambodia appreciates Japan's assistance in drafting the Civil Code and the Civil Procedure Code and will further try to develop its legal system. Japan will continue to assist Cambodia in fields related to the rule of law, which is a prerequisite for sustaining human security in the country.
Enhancing Economic Relations
Cambodia appreciates the important role of Japan's official development assistance in the sustainable development and poverty reduction in Cambodia. Japan highly values Cambodia's efforts for national development under the "Rectangular Strategy" and will continue to assist such efforts. Cambodia is committed to effective and efficient use of the assistance. We welcome the signing of the Notes on the project for Flood Protection and Drainage Improvement in the Municipality of Phnom Penh (Phase II) and the project for Human Resource Development Scholarship.
Trade and investment are important for the sustainable economic growth in Cambodia. We welcome the signing of the Agreement between Japan and the Kingdom of Cambodia for the Liberalization, Promotion and Protection of Investment, and hope that Japan's investments in Cambodia will be promoted by this Agreement. Japan will send a business mission composed of both government and private sector representatives to Cambodia. Cambodia will make the utmost efforts to realize a more favorable investment environment including the enhancement of special economic zones.
We believe that a more integrated regional economy will contribute to sustainable development in Cambodia. Cambodia highly values Japan's support for the Mekong Region Development, including assistance for the "Development Triangle", and welcomes the Japan-Mekong Region Partnership Program. Japan's assistance related to the "Second East-West Economic Corridor" as well as the "Cambodia Growth Corridor" has been enhancing the regional network. We will expeditiously proceed toward the construction of the Second Mekong Bridge at Neak Loeung as a top priority. Cambodia will effectively use the infrastructure established with Japan's aid by promoting such reforms as harmonization of customs procedures and mutual recognition of vehicles for cross-border transportation.
Promoting Mutual Understanding
Mutual understanding enhanced through people-to-people exchanges is a basis for a close relationship between our two countries. Japan has supported human capacity building in Cambodia by sending experts including Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) and by accepting Cambodian students and trainees. Japan's NGOs implemented humanitarian assistance in Cambodia even before the Paris Peace Agreement of 1991. Based on such experiences, we will have more frequent high-level visits and expand people-to-people exchanges.
Japan will aim to invite more than 1,000 Cambodian youths to Japan in the coming five years under various programs including the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Program. We hope that Cambodian students who study in Japan or learn Japanese will play a more active role in various fields in Cambodia.
We believe that an increase in tourists from Japan to Cambodia will enhance mutual understanding and promote Cambodian development. We will cooperate actively to preserve the Angkor Monuments. Japan, as co-chair of the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor, will continue its assistance in the preservation and restoration work. Cambodia will pursue harmonized development in Siem Reap Province by taking into account the impacts of increased tourism.
Addressing regional and global challenges
ASEAN plays an important role in regional cooperation in East Asia. Cambodia appreciates Japan's continued support for ASEAN integration as well as Japan's initiative in the East Asia Summit and other regional cooperation frameworks. We welcome the recent progress in the negotiation of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, particularly in that the ASEAN and Japanese Economic Ministers confirmed that ASEAN and Japan mutually accepted the modalities in principle.
Regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, we fully support the Six Party Talks and swift implementation of the agreement reached at the Six-Party Talks on February 13, 2007, as a first step towards full implementation of the Joint Statement of September 19, 2005, in good faith. We emphasize the importance of steadily implementing United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1695 and 1718. We hope that progress will be made in the talks between Japan and North Korea on bilateral issues. We stress the importance of resolving the abduction issue as early as possible, and will cooperate on this issue. Cambodia will support the next United Nations General Assembly resolution on the situation of human rights in North Korea, and Japan highly appreciates this decision.
We will actively work together to realize an early reform of the United Nations Security Council through the expansion of both its permanent and non-permanent membership. Japan appreciates Cambodia's continuous support for Japan as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, which has been repeatedly stated at the UN and other International conferences, as well as during the summit meeting between Cambodia, Lao, Vietnam and Japan, held in Vientiane in 2004. In this regard, Cambodia reiterates its strong support for a broader and more active role of Japan in the International Organizations.
Cambodia praises Japan for its initiative in promoting human security by showing leadership in addressing various cross-border issues such as poverty, infectious diseases, environment, peace-building, disarmament, non-proliferation, human trafficking, and illicit narcotic drugs. Japan highly values Cambodia's contribution to promoting world peace by participating in the Sudanese PKO and addressing problems of landmines and small arms in other conflicting countries such as Afghanistan, based on its own experience. It will assist Cambodia's efforts through the recently launched initiative for human resource development in peace-building. We will further strengthen cooperation on these global agenda.
We reaffirm the importance of global environment issues, in particular climate change. Cambodia appreciates Japan's recent proposal on climate change "Cool Earth 50", and supports the idea to set a long-term target of cutting global emissions by half from the current level by 2050 as a common goal for the entire world. We will actively cooperate in accordance with the proposal in establishing an effective international framework to address global warming beyond 2012 in which all major emitting countries participate.
Tokyo, June 14, 2007
Shinzo ABEPrime Minister of Japan
HUN SenPrime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia
No comments:
Post a Comment