On the morning of 22 December 2000 at 8.30, the Council of Ministers convened a plenary meeting, presided over by Samdech Hun Sen Prime Minister of Royal Government of Kingdom of Cambodia to listen to the reports on the negotiation results to solve the Cambodia- Vietnam land border disputes in Hanoi on 29 October to 06 November 2000 and in extraordinary meetings held in Phnom Penh in late November and in early December concerning the proposals raised by Cambodia to change land border marks at seven spots. The reports made by the Chairman of Mixed Committer for Border Affairs on the recent results that paved the way for the two sides to reach the forthcoming memorandum of understanding over the solution of some issues vis-à-vis the two countries' land border. The changed six border marks approved as follows:

1. First spot is in Ratanakiri province at the spot the colonial administration failed to mark on the white zone and the second map does not match up. Vietnam agreed to Cambodia's proposal.
2. Second spot in Ratanakiri province where the second map does not match up; Vietnam accepted Cambodia's proposal to replace with a new map that matches up.
3. Third spot in Mandulkiri at around Tole Sra Pok; as the maps do not match up Vietnam agreed to re-demarcate border around here at the proposal of Cambodia that has proposed to accept the border line, following the straight line in the two maps.
4. Fifth spot between Mekong and Basac Rivers in Kandal province. Vietnam agreed to Cambodia's proposal to change the border mark in this area. The two sides agreed to send technical groups to examine this area in order to demarcate the border in accordance with the principles approved by the two countries.
5. Six and Seventh spots: Vietnam agreed to revise the border mark at the proposal of Cambodia. That means Koki Island belongs to Vietnam while the land along the Ben Yi River with 200 metres wide and 2, 500 metres long belongs to Cambodia.
6. Fourth spot in Mandulkiri there are still some differences.

The reports said the two countries have agreed to continue the negotiation so as to reach an appropriate solution in conformity with the principles as stated in the third-round meeting minutes of the mixed committee for border affairs and the two sides are expected to seek a solution to border demarcation at the fourth spot before an additional treaty will be signed.

The two sides have approved the draft memorandum of understanding concerning the solution of land border disputes between the two countries. The document is based on the laws and the principles already approved by the two countries. Moreover, the two sides have approved the draft treaty in addition to the 1985 border treaty in the meetings held in Phnom Penh in late November and early December. The document is similar to the memorandum of understanding based on the laws and principles agreed upon by the two countries.

The reports also emphasized that the two sides have agreed to make a protocol as regards the demarcation of land border of the two countries including detailed border documents, border markers and border maps of the two countries.

After having attentively listened to the reports the government leader and the cabinet expressed their appreciation to the efforts made by the mixed committee for border affairs who has achieved fruitful results with the two sides having good will to solve the border disputes and upholding the vital respective interests of the two countries.

The cabinet meeting ended at 12.20 P.M.

Phnom Penh, December, 2000

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