Retired King Norodom Sihanouk, chairman of the newly formed Supreme National Council on border issues, on Sunday gave a mixed assessment of the council’s classified first meeting in Beijing last week.
“The council meeting was good and friendly…in the spirit of nationalism,” he said. But he noted that Cambodia had undeniably lost territory to its neighboring countries.
“On paper and on the maps, we do not lose any territory, but on the ground our country was cut little by little by neighboring countries,” he wrote in a letter posted on his Web site and dated Sunday.
Norodom Sihanouk added that the seven-member council would not meet again until after he receives medical treatment in Beijing.
Though the proceedings of the May 11 border council meeting are meant to be confidential, Funcinpec lawmaker Princess Norodom Vacheara, vice-president of the council, said Sunday that she had proposed to amend a royal decree on establishing the council in order to give more power to the council.
The royal decree, which was signed by King Norodom Sihamoni last month, offers no executive power to the retired King, she said.
According to a copy of the draft obtained Sunday, the proposed amendments would eliminate an article in the decree that states the council must “abide by government policy on territory.”
Some have criticized the decree, saying it gives the border council essentially no power, yet holds Norodom Sihanouk responsible for the country’s border disputes.
Norodom Sihanouk himself wrote last week: “Please pardon me. I am head of a council which has no power, [and] no right to inform you the results of the council meetings.”
He has repeatedly stated he would not recognize any border agreements made between Cambodia and Vietnam made during the 1980s.
According to a report from state-run Voice of Vietnam radio, dated Thursday, Vietnam “thoroughly respects agreements on borders and territories signed between Vietnam and Cambodia in the principle of equality and mutual respect in line with international laws and practices.”
