Reaction to Thailand’s formation a naval base

Tuesday, August 18, 2009Everyday.com.khTranslated from Khmer by Socheata
A high ranking Cambodian government official reacted on Monday to Thailand’s formation of a naval base in Koh Kut Island, located in Trat Province. The Cambodian official called the formation of this naval base a violation of the 2000 MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between Cambodia and Thailand, and that it is a threat to Cambodia’s national security as well. Phay Siphan, spokesman of the Council of Ministers, made this statement after reports indicated that Thai royal navy battleships were ordered to patrol near the overlapping waters between Thailand and Cambodia in order to counter any action taken by Cambodia. Phay Siphan told RFA: “Therefore, the naval threat will affect the national security of the kingdom of Cambodia. Furthermore, the use of troops to resolve border issues or to protect waters in the Thai-Cambodian Gulf is not in agreement with the 2000 MOU.” Phay Siphan said that Cambodia will deliver a diplomatic note to Thailand for its sending of battleships to the overlapping sea waters area.

Reaction to Thailand’s formation a naval base

Tuesday, August 18, 2009Everyday.com.khTranslated from Khmer by Socheata
A high ranking Cambodian government official reacted on Monday to Thailand’s formation of a naval base in Koh Kut Island, located in Trat Province. The Cambodian official called the formation of this naval base a violation of the 2000 MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between Cambodia and Thailand, and that it is a threat to Cambodia’s national security as well. Phay Siphan, spokesman of the Council of Ministers, made this statement after reports indicated that Thai royal navy battleships were ordered to patrol near the overlapping waters between Thailand and Cambodia in order to counter any action taken by Cambodia. Phay Siphan told RFA: “Therefore, the naval threat will affect the national security of the kingdom of Cambodia. Furthermore, the use of troops to resolve border issues or to protect waters in the Thai-Cambodian Gulf is not in agreement with the 2000 MOU.” Phay Siphan said that Cambodia will deliver a diplomatic note to Thailand for its sending of battleships to the overlapping sea waters area.

Higher costs expected in Cambodia stretch of Trans-Asia Railway

Tue, 18 Aug 2009DPA
Phnom Penh - A key link of the Cambodian stretch of the Trans-Asia Railway, which will eventually connect Singapore with Kunming in China, will need extra cash to fund its construction, local media reported Monday. The section of the railway examined in a recent study will run 255 kilometres east from near the capital Phnom Penh and connect to Vietnam's railway at Loc Ninh.The feasibility study by the China Railway Group estimates this stretch will cost between 500 million and 600 million US dollars, the Phnom Penh Post newspaper reported.The study blamed the higher-than-expected cost on the number of bridges needed to span the Mekong and other rivers between Phnom Penh and Vietnam. It stated that two bridges spanning 1,500 metres and 1,000 metres in length would cost up to 266 million dollars. Smaller bridges would add another 120 million dollars.

Higher costs expected in Cambodia stretch of Trans-Asia Railway

Tue, 18 Aug 2009DPA
Phnom Penh - A key link of the Cambodian stretch of the Trans-Asia Railway, which will eventually connect Singapore with Kunming in China, will need extra cash to fund its construction, local media reported Monday. The section of the railway examined in a recent study will run 255 kilometres east from near the capital Phnom Penh and connect to Vietnam's railway at Loc Ninh.The feasibility study by the China Railway Group estimates this stretch will cost between 500 million and 600 million US dollars, the Phnom Penh Post newspaper reported.The study blamed the higher-than-expected cost on the number of bridges needed to span the Mekong and other rivers between Phnom Penh and Vietnam. It stated that two bridges spanning 1,500 metres and 1,000 metres in length would cost up to 266 million dollars. Smaller bridges would add another 120 million dollars.

1.6 million hectares of land leased by Hun Xen's regime to Saudi Arabia

Grab the land
According to reports, Arab investors are buying agricultural land in Israel. Aug 17th, 2009Aarti NagrajKippReportWealthy individuals from the Gulf countries have recently purchased hundreds of acres of agricultural land in the occupied region of Galilee, reported Israel Radio this week. Farmers in Galilee reportedly tried to prevent the sale, but failed to do so as they did not have sufficient funds to buy the land from its owners. The Israel Lands Administration told the radio station that it could not interfere with the deal because the lands are privately-owned.While the move has come under heavy criticism from political leaders in Israel, if true, it is the latest example of the increasing importance being given to agricultural land by people in the Arab world.In recent years, in a bid to reduce food imports, several Gulf countries have been investing heavily in farmland in developing countries such as Pakistan, the Philippines and Ethiopia. Last year, Gulf States imported 80 percent of their food at a cost of $20 billion.According to reports, Cambodia has a $546 million loan from Kuwait for agricultural projects, a $200 million venture with Qatar and has leased 1.6 million hectares of land to Saudi Arabia.The Philippines is in talks with Qatar to lease around 100,000 hectares of agricultural land, and has a $500 million joint agri-business venture with Kuwait. Saudi also recently announced that it would allocate around $240 million to establish fruit plantations and support aquaculture and halal food processing projects in the Philippines. The UAE has 3,000 hectares in the country for agriculture projects.Vietnam announced plans to establish a $1 billion investment fund with Qatar last year primarily for investment in food production for export.But it’s not just for food, Gulf countries are also looking at the financially lucrative side of the agricultural industry.Last year, the Qatari Investment Authority founded a company, Hassad Food, only to invest in existing agricultural businesses and projects around the world and re-export the produce.“We are driven by profits and not just food security and right now the economic crisis has created a lot of opportunities for us to invest in financially distressed companies,” its chairman, Nasser Mohamed Al Hajri told Reuters earlier this month. The company is in talks with a number of agricultural companies in Argentina and other parts of South America, he said.Earlier this month, Jenaan, a private agricultural investment firm in Abu Dhabi announced a AED925 million farmland deal in Egypt. The company plans to grow wheat on 42,000 hectares in south-western Egypt, and according to Jenaan, the produce will be “strictly for Egyptian consumption.In July this year, Sami al-Araji, the head of the Iraqi National Investment, said during a visit to the UAE that the country was planning to offer agricultural land on a long-term rental basis to investors from the Gulf in order to revive its agricultural sector.However, this growing trend has come under criticism from international bodies; Jacques Diouf, the head of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said recently that a new kind of “neo-colonialism” could appear from land deals where poor Southeast Asian countries produce food for export to rich Gulf States rather than feed their own malnourished people.Earlier this year, the United Nations also said that farmers’ rights could be compromised in developing nations because of rich countries buying up their farmland.

1.6 million hectares of land leased by Hun Xen's regime to Saudi Arabia

Grab the land
According to reports, Arab investors are buying agricultural land in Israel. Aug 17th, 2009Aarti NagrajKippReportWealthy individuals from the Gulf countries have recently purchased hundreds of acres of agricultural land in the occupied region of Galilee, reported Israel Radio this week. Farmers in Galilee reportedly tried to prevent the sale, but failed to do so as they did not have sufficient funds to buy the land from its owners. The Israel Lands Administration told the radio station that it could not interfere with the deal because the lands are privately-owned.While the move has come under heavy criticism from political leaders in Israel, if true, it is the latest example of the increasing importance being given to agricultural land by people in the Arab world.In recent years, in a bid to reduce food imports, several Gulf countries have been investing heavily in farmland in developing countries such as Pakistan, the Philippines and Ethiopia. Last year, Gulf States imported 80 percent of their food at a cost of $20 billion.According to reports, Cambodia has a $546 million loan from Kuwait for agricultural projects, a $200 million venture with Qatar and has leased 1.6 million hectares of land to Saudi Arabia.The Philippines is in talks with Qatar to lease around 100,000 hectares of agricultural land, and has a $500 million joint agri-business venture with Kuwait. Saudi also recently announced that it would allocate around $240 million to establish fruit plantations and support aquaculture and halal food processing projects in the Philippines. The UAE has 3,000 hectares in the country for agriculture projects.Vietnam announced plans to establish a $1 billion investment fund with Qatar last year primarily for investment in food production for export.But it’s not just for food, Gulf countries are also looking at the financially lucrative side of the agricultural industry.Last year, the Qatari Investment Authority founded a company, Hassad Food, only to invest in existing agricultural businesses and projects around the world and re-export the produce.“We are driven by profits and not just food security and right now the economic crisis has created a lot of opportunities for us to invest in financially distressed companies,” its chairman, Nasser Mohamed Al Hajri told Reuters earlier this month. The company is in talks with a number of agricultural companies in Argentina and other parts of South America, he said.Earlier this month, Jenaan, a private agricultural investment firm in Abu Dhabi announced a AED925 million farmland deal in Egypt. The company plans to grow wheat on 42,000 hectares in south-western Egypt, and according to Jenaan, the produce will be “strictly for Egyptian consumption.In July this year, Sami al-Araji, the head of the Iraqi National Investment, said during a visit to the UAE that the country was planning to offer agricultural land on a long-term rental basis to investors from the Gulf in order to revive its agricultural sector.However, this growing trend has come under criticism from international bodies; Jacques Diouf, the head of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said recently that a new kind of “neo-colonialism” could appear from land deals where poor Southeast Asian countries produce food for export to rich Gulf States rather than feed their own malnourished people.Earlier this year, the United Nations also said that farmers’ rights could be compromised in developing nations because of rich countries buying up their farmland.