On July 30, 1999 morning at 8.30 at the Council of Ministers, there was a plenary cabinet meeting, presided over by Samdech Hun Sen Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia in order to review and pass:

1. Draft Royal Degree on the creation and control of the preservation of the biosphere of Tonle Sab river.
2. Reports on the results of the negotiations on the border disputes with the neighboring countries.

After the active discussions and view exchanging, the cabinet achieved the results as follows:

Draft Royal Degree on the creation and control of the preservation of the biosphere of Tonle Sab river

The cabinet decided for the Ministry of Environment to in advance discuss the Royal Decree during the inter-ministerial meeting in order to coordinate with the relevant ministries for the purpose of effectively implementing the Royal decree.

Reports about the results of the negotiations on the border disputes with the neighboring countries 

The reports made by H.E Va Kemhong the chairman of the Committee of State Border Affairs, which proved the negotiation results as follows:

1-With Laos. Cambodia and Laos have already opened four rounds of talks. The first round held in 1995, the second in 1997, the third in 1998 and the fourth on May 1999.

The results of the four rounds of talks as follows:

• Both sides have agreed on some principles for the sake of border resolution, such as the recognition of joint border left by the French colonialism, at a scale of 1:100 000 of Indo-Chinese Geography group.
• Recognized the principles internationally acceptable on the border limitation.
• Factual land ownership by peoples for generations.

The remaining problems will, agreed by both sides, continue to talk to find out a solution in the next meeting, scheduled to hold in late 1999 in order to reach a state border treaty be signed by both sides in the upcoming future before the end of the year 2000.

2-With Vietnam. After the two rounds of talks, the first held in 1998 and the second in 1999, both sides have agreed on some principles as follows:

• Both sides have agreed to discuss the details on the border disputes and are scheduled to renew talks in late August 1999.

3-With Thailand. Cambodian-Thai border is the sole international border that Cambodia has with the three neighboring countries because the border was limited by 1904 and 1907 French-Siam convention and treaty and annex ceremony. The two countries have agreed in accordance with the joint statement dated on June 21, 1997 concerning the creation of the mixed committee of Cambodian-Thai border demarcation who has the job to put up border marks, demarcate land border between the two countries. Cambodian-Thai mixed border committee met at the first time in late June and early July 1999 in Bangkok to discuss the demarcation of Cambodian-Thai border and putting up border marks. As a summery result of the meeting, the both sides have agreed on some principles: basically accept 19904 and 1907 French-Siam convention and treaty, and annex protocol and the map of the French-Siam border limitation committee. The both sides have also agreed to continue negotiating all the problems raised in the first meeting before the end of 1999.

The cabinet meeting ended at 12:30 p.m.

Phnom Penh July 30 , 1999