Cambodia to ask Thailand to sign ceasefire agreement at ASEAN meeting: PM

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia will ask Thailand to sign a permanent ceasefire under the witness of ASEAN foreign ministers or ASEAN chair on Feb. 22 in the ASEAN foreign ministers ' meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said during a rare press conference on Thursday at the Government House.

"It will be better if ASEAN chair can sign in the permanent ceasefire," said Hun Sen.

Meanwhile, the premier put forward four points concerning the permanent ceasefire: firstly, Cambodia and Thailand agreed to stop fighting for good and permanently. No more weapon clashes forever; Secondly, no mobile of armed forces for this time and both sides maintain the same places of armed forces to wait for the resolution on measuring and demarcating the border;

Thirdly, Cambodia and Thailand encourage the two countries' army commanders to open talks to improve good cooperation in order to make the situation returning to before July 15, 2008;

And fourth, to ensure the effectiveness of ceasefire, Cambodia will ask ASEAN countries to control of ceasefire.

"I believe Thailand will not agree at this point, but if Thailand does not agree the fourth point, Cambodia will agree to receive forces from ASEAN countries to station in Cambodian territory to observe and ensure the ceasefire," Hun Sen added.

Hun Sen said that he has already sent the four-point of the draft permanent ceasefire to Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit through Thai Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwankiri, who is now in Cambodia for the opening of Thai trade expo.

He stressed that the multi-lateral talks would be used only in the border dispute with Thailand. All the meetings, even the JBC (Cambodian-Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary ) meeting, must have the participation of the ASEAN chair or representative, Thailand should not be afraid of the third party.

"While other forums, besides border dispute and Preah Vihear temple, will be done bilaterally, such as trades, tourism, culture...," Hun Sen said

"I appeal that we don't push the situation into the confrontation on all sectors," he said. "We should contain the dispute, not let it spread further."

However, on the issue of Preah Vihear temple, Hun Sen said that "we cannot walk back on this issue, it's the heritage left by our ancestors--I just maintain and protect it for our next generation.We don't want any land from the other."

Cambodia will welcome all types of observers from ASEAN, he said. "Observers can be civilians, military or police, they can be in group of ASEAN or each country can send their observers to the disputed areas."

Rights group condemns "online censorship" by Cambodian government

Phnom Penh - A human rights group on Wednesday condemned the apparent blocking of several websites critical of the Cambodian government, saying the move marked 'a significant milestone in the march toward a more oppressive media environment.'

Naly Pilorge, the director of the LICADHO rights group, said the denials by internet service providers that they were doing the government's bidding were 'not fooling anyone.'

The providers 'can play with words all they want, but at the end of the day, this still amounts to censorship,' she said.

The government has repeatedly said it has not ordered the providers to block access to websites, including KI-Media, a news aggregator and comment site that strongly favours the political opposition and is often critical of the ruling party.

But several websites critical of the government have gone offline in recent weeks. Service providers have officially denied blocking the sites or being asked to do so by the government.

However, this week, one provider carried a message stating that access to KI-Media had been blocked 'as ordered by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Cambodia.'

The Phnom Penh Post newspaper on Wednesday quoted So Khun, the Minister of Post and Telecommunications, again denying the government had issued any order to block KI-Media.

But the paper carried minutes of a February 10 meeting that showed So Khun had asked mobile phone operators to help block traffic to some websites.

'[So Khun] made a request to all operators to cooperate in curbing some websites that affect Cambodian morality and tradition and the government through using the internet,' the newspaper said, quoting the minutes.

Late last year, a senior official told Radio Free Asia that the government would shut down KI-Media by the end of the year. That statement came days after the website published articles that were critical of him and other members of the government.

KI-Media is a controversial and at times vitriolic site, listing opposition politicians as 'heroes' and a number of ruling party members, including Prime Minister Hun Sen, as 'traitors.'

The censorship row comes as the UN special envoy for human rights, Surya Subedi, started his fourth trip to Cambodia this week.

Official figures showed Cambodia had nearly 175,000 internet subscribers at the end of 2010, a rapid increase from 30,000 the previous year. DPA

Cambodia to ask ASEAN to monitor ceasefire with Thailand

Cambodia will ask the Southeast Asian regional grouping ASEAN to send observers to monitor a fragile ceasefire at its disputed border with Thailand, a move likely to be resisted by its neighbour.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Thailand had ignored a call for restraint by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) on Monday and it was necessary for ASEAN to step in to ensure peace prevails at their border near the 11th Century Preah Vihear tem

ple following deadly clashes this

month.

The request is likely to rile Thailand, which has long called for a bilateral solution to end the standoff and accuses Cambodia of trying to internationalise the issue by ins

isting on United Nations intervention.

"We will ask ASEAN observers to come to the Preah Vihear area to make sure that a permanent ceasefire holds and let's see whether the Thais accept or not," Hor Namhong told reporters on Wednesday.

Foreign ministers of the two countries on Monday addressed the UNSC, which expressed "grave concern" about the Feb. 4-7 clashes and called for regional and bilateral negotiations.

It rejected Cambodia's call to deploy U.N. peacekeepers and urged both sides to honour the ceasefire

.

But within hours of the meeting in New York, Thai and Cambodian troops clashed briefly again before dawn on Tuesday and Hor Namhong accused Thai troops of firing bullets and grenades later in the day.

Both sides have maintained a heavy military presence on either side of the border in the fighting that killed at least three Thais and eight Cambodians and wounded dozens of troops and civilians on either side.

Thailand

and Cambodia blame each other for the clashes.

The conflict and the fierce rhetoric from both countries has been a major setback for the Association of South East Asian Nations, a 10-member bloc modelled on the European Union that plans to become a regional community by 2015.

Hor Namhong said Cambodia would make the request for observers at an ASEAN foreign ministerial meeting scheduled for Feb. 22 in Jakarta.

Although Cambodia has ownership of the Preah Vihear temple, the 4.6 sq km of land around it is claimed by both countries and nationalists on both sides have been accused of using the issue for domestic political gains. Reuters

បណ្តឹងកើនឡើងច្រើនប្រឆាំងនឹងអ្នកកាសែត បន្ទាប់ពីក្រមព្រហ្មទណ្ឌចូលជាធរមាន

គឹម យុទ្ធណា

ភ្នំពេញៈ លោក ខៀវ កាញារីទ្ធ រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រសួងព័ត៌​មា​ន​បា​ន​មា​នប្រ​សាស​ន៍​ថា​ កា​រកើន​នូវប​ណ្តឹ​ងត​បចំ​ពោះ​អ្ន​ក​កា​សែត​​​ក​ម្ពុ​ជា​ក្នុ​ង​ពេល​​​ចុ​​ង​​​​​​ក្រោយ​​​​នេះ​ ​​គឺ​​ប​​​ង្ហា​ញ​ពី​​​កា​​​រ​​ឈា​​​ន​​ឆ្ពោះ​ទៅ​រ​​​ក​​នី​​​តិ​រដ្ឋ​​​​​រប​ស់​​កម្ពុជា​ ​ដែលទាំងអស់គ្នាមាន​ការ​​យល់ដឹ​ងពី​ច្បាប់​សង្គ​មដែ​ល​កំ​ពុង​ស្ថិ​ត​ជា​ធ​រ​មា​ន​​ប​ញ្ញ​ត្តិ​។

សេ​ច​​ក្តី​ថ្លែ​​​​ង​​រប​ស់​លោករ​ដ្ឋ​ម​ន្ត្រី​ក្រសួ​​​ង​​ព័ត៌​មានខាងលើនេះ ​ធ្វើឡើង​ជាកា​រឆ្លើយ​តប​ទៅ​​នឹងរបាយការណ៌មួយ របស់សមាគមកម្ពុជា ការពារ​អ្នកកាសែ​ត​​​ ដែល​លើក​ឡើ​ង​​ដោ​យ​លោក នេត្រ ​ភក្ត្រា ​អគ្គលេខា​ធិ​ការ​សមា​គ​​ម​ដែល​កត់​សម្គាល់​​ថា ​ ចំនួន​បណ្តឹ​ង និង​ការ​ដាក់​ទោស​ទណ្ឌម​ក​លើ​​​អ្ន​កកា​សែ​ត​​​កម្ពុជា ​នា​ឆ្នាំក​ន្ល​ងម​ក​និ​ង​នៅ​ដើ​ម​ឆ្នាំ​នេះ ​មា​នការកើន​ឡើ​ងជាង​​ពីពេល​មុនក​​ន្លង​​មក។

ក្នុង​កិ​ច្ចប្រ​ជុំតុ​មូ​ល ស្តីពីក្រ​ម​ព្រហ្មទ​ណ្ឌ​និ​ង​វិ​ជ្ជា​ជីវៈ កា​ល​ពី​ថ្ងៃចន្ទ ដែ​ល​មា​នអ្នក​កា​សែ​ត​ជា​ង៨​០នា​ក់​ចូ​ល​រួ​ម​ ក្រោម​ការ​រៀបចំ​​ពី​សមា​គម​កម្ពុ​ជា​​កា​រ​ពារ​អ្ន​​ក​កាសែត (CAPJ) ​លោក ​នេត្រ ​ភ​ក្ត្រា ជាអគ្គលេ​ខា​ធិ​កា​រ​មានប្រសា​សន៌​ថា​ «​ ​តា​ម​កា​រក​ត់​ស​ម្គា​ល់​ថា ក្រោ​យ​ដែល​ក្រម​ព្រហ្ម​ទ​ណ្ឌ​ចូល​ជា​ធ​រ​មា​ន​​តាំ​ង​ពី​ឆ្នាំក​ន្ល​ង​ទៅ​​ គិតរហូត​​​ម​ក​ដល់​ដើ​​ម​ឆ្នាំ​​ ​២​​​០​​១​​១ ​នេះ​ចំនួនប​ណ្តឹ​ង​ចោ​ទប្រ​កា​ន់​ម​ក​លើ​ក ​អ្ន​ក​សា​រ​ព័ត៌​មាន និង​ការ​ឃុំ​ខ្លួន​អ្នក​សា​​រ​ព័​ត៌​មាន​ មាន​ចំនួ​នកើ​នឡើងគួរ​ឲ្យ​កត់​ស​ម្គា​ល់»​។ ប៉ុន្តែ ការលើក​ឡើង​នេះ​ មិន​មាន​ប​ញ្ជាក់​ថា បណ្តាល​មក​ពីកា​រ​រិត​បន្តឹ​ង​ ​ឬ​ម​កពី​ការ​អនុវ​ត្តក្រ​ម​ថ្មីនេះនោះ​ទេ។

លោក ខៀវ ​កា​ញារី​ទ្ធ​ ​ដែល​​ចូល​រួ​មជា​អ​ធិ​បតី មាន​ថ្លែង​ត​បថា ការកើ​ន​ឡើ​ងនូ​វ​ចំ​នួន​បណ្តឹ​ងតប​​នឹងអ្នក​​កា​សែ​តនេះ​​ ​​មិន​មែន​មក​ពីកា​រ​រិ​ត​ប​ន្តឹ​ង​ច្បា​ប់លើ​ក​អ្ន​កា​សែ​ត​ទេ​ ប៉ុន្តែ​ ​វា​​ជា​​ដំ​ណា​ក់ការដែ​ល​ពលរដ្ឋ​មា​នការ​យ​ល់ដឹង​ពីច្បា​ប់ច្រើន​​ ខណៈដែ​ល​ស​ង្គមកា​ន់តែ​មា​ន​សណ្តា​ប់​​​ធ្នា​ប់រ​បៀ​ប​​​រៀ​ប​​រ​យ​។​ ​

លោក​រ​ដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ក្រ​សួង​ព័ត៌​មាន​កត់​សម្គា​ល់ថា ពីកន្ល​ងមក​​អ្ន​​​ក​​កា​​​​សែ​​​ត​​មួ​​​​យ​ចំនួន បា​នចុះ​​ផ្សា​យ ​​ឬ​បញ្ចេញ​មតិ​ផ្តេស​ផ្តាស ឬសរសេររិះគន់គេ​មិន​ត្រឹ​​ម​​​​​​ត្រូ​​​វ​​ តែអត់​មា​ន​ប្រតិ​ក​​ម្មតប​​ទេ។ ​ប៉ុន្តែ ​សង្គម​កម្ពុ​ជា​​បា​​ន​​វិ​វឌ្ឍន៍ ​​ដោយរ​ដ្ឋាភិ​បា​ល​​រៀប​ចំ​ច្បាប់​ជាច្រើន ដែល​បាន​ផ្សព្វផ្សា​យ​យ៉ាង​ទូលាយ ហើយ​មហា​ជ​ន​​ជាព​លរដ្ឋ​មា​នការយ​ល់ដឹ​ង​ពីច្បា​ប់​ច្រើន​​ ហេតុនេះ​កា​រ​ធ្លា​ប់តែ​ស​រ​សេរ​បំ​ពានពី​មុ​ន​ខុ​ស​ក្រ​មសី​ល​ធ​ម៌​ និង​វិ​ជ្ជា​ជីវៈ ក៏រ​ង​កា​រ​ប្តឹង​ត​ប។

លោក​រ​ដ្ឋម​ន្ត្រី​មា​ន​ប្រសា​ស​ន៍​ថា ​៖ «ពីមុ​នធ្លា​ប់​ទៅស៊ី​គុយ​ទា​វគេ​អ​ត់​បង់លុ​យ ​តែ​ដ​ល់​ឥ​ឡូ​វគេ​យ​ក​លុ​យ​ វា​ពិ​បា​កត្រូ​វ​គិ​ត​បន្តិ​ច​ហើយ»​។

លោក​បា​នប​ញ្ជា​ក់​ថា​ ៖«នៅ​ក្នុង​សង្គ​ម​មួយ​ដែ​ល​មា​ន​គណ​ប​ក្ស​កា​ន់អំ​ណា​ច​ធំ​ និ​ង​កា​ន់​តែរឹ​ង​មាំ​ ​ដូច​នៅ​ក​ម្ពុ​ជា​សារ​ព័ត៌​​មាន​ដែ​ល​ឯ​ករា​ជ្យ ហើ​យ​និ​ង​មា​ន​វិជ្ជា​ជី​វៈ​ត្រឹ​មត្រូ​វ​ ​គឺ​ជាកា​រ​សំខាន់​ណាស់​ស​ម្រា​ប់ឆ្លុះ​​​បញ្ចាំ​ង​នូវ​ទិ​ដ្ឋភា​ព​ទាំងអ​ស់​រប​ស់ស​ង្គ​ម»​។

យោង​តា​មរ​បា​យ​កា​រ​ណ៏ស​ង្ខេ​ប​ស្តី​ពីស្ថា​ន​ភា​ពអ្ន​ក​សារ​ព័​ត៌​មាន​នៅ​ក​ម្ពុ​ជាឆ្នាំ​ ២​០​១​០​ បា​ន​ស​ង្កេ​តឃើ​ញ​ថា​ ប​ណ្តឹ​ង​​ប្រឆាំង​នឹង​អ្នក​កាសែ​ត​​​មួ​យ​ចំ​នួ​នត្រូ​វ​បាន​បន្ត​មា​ន​ទាំង​ប​ទ​បរិ​ហា​កេរ្តិ៍ ប​ទ​ផ្សាយ​ព័​ត៌​មាន​មិ​នពិត ​ប​ទឆ​បោក និង​បទ​ជំរិតទា​រ​ប្រាក់​។ រ​បា​យកា​រ​ណ៏ប​ន្តថា​​ បណ្តឹង​ស​រុ​បប្រ​ឆាំ​ង​នឹង​អ្ន​ក​កា​សែ​ត​ទាំងអ​ស់​មាន​ចំ​នួ​ន៤​ក​រ​ណី​ធំៗ និងពា​​ក់ព័ន្ធ​អ្នក​ការសែត​ចំ​នួ​ន ៥នាក់់មកពី​ស្ថាប័​ន​កាសែត និង​ទូរទស្សន៍។​ដោយ​ឡែ​ក​រហូ​ត​ម​ក​ទ​ល់នឹ​ង​ខែ​កុ​ម្ភៈនេះ​ ប​ណ្តឹង​ប្រ​ឆាំ​ង​នឹង​អ្ន​ក​ការ​សែ​ត​តាមក្រម​ព្រ​ហ្មទ​ណ្ឌ​ថ្មីបា​នកើនឡើ​ង​រហូតដ​ល់ ​៨ក​រ​ណី ដែល​មា​ន​អ្ន​កកា​សែ​ត​ពា​ក់ព័​ន្ធ​យ៉ា​ង​ហោ​ចណា​ស់​១​០នា​ក់​ ​ដែ​លអ្ន​ក​ខ្លះកំ​ពុ​ង​ជា​ប់ឃុំ​ ​ប​ណ្តោះអា​ស​ន្នរ​ង់​ចាំការ​ជំនុំ​ជំរះ​ក្តីពី​បទ​ឆបោក​និងជំ​រិត​ទា​រ​ប្រា​ក់​៕

កិច្ចប្រជុំតុមូលស្តីពី «ក្រមព្រហ្មទណ្ឌ និងវិជ្ជាជីវៈសារព័ត៌មាន» រៀបចំឡើងដោយសមាគម
កម្ពុជាការពារអ្នកកាសែត CAPJ កាលពីថ្ងៃទី ១៤ ខែ កុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ ២០១១ នៅសណ្ឋាគារ Imperial។ កិច្ចប្រជុំ តុមូលនេះមានការចូលរួមពីឯកឧត្តមខៀវ កាញារីទ្ធ រដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រសួងព័ត៌មាន ឯកឧត្តម ប៊ុន ហ៊ុន អនុរដ្ឋលេខាធិការក្រសួងយុត្តិធម៌ ឯកឧត្តម សួន វិសាល​ អគ្គលេខាធិការគណៈមេធាវីកម្ពុជា លោក មាស ច័ន្ទពិសិដ្ឋ ព្រះរាជអាជ្ញារងសាលាដំបូងរាជធានីភ្នំពេញ លោកអ៊ុំ សារិន ប្រធានសមាគមកម្ពុជាការពារអ្នកកាសែត និងមានលោកនេត្រ ភក្ត្រា អគ្គលេខាធិការសមាគមកម្ពុជាការពារអ្នកកាសែតគឺជាអ្នកសម្របសម្រួលតុមូល និងអ្នកចូលរួមជាង ៧០ នាក់មកពីស្ថាប័នសារព៏ត៌មាននានានៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។ រូបថត ផា លីណា

Obama to signal to China at ASEAN summit in New York

US President Barack Obama will seek to lock in deeper ties with Southeast Asia on Friday, as simmering regional maritime disputes reflect mounting security questions posed by a rising China.

Obama will host the second US-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, a day after announcing he will make a twice-postponed visit to Indonesia in November.

The president has made engaging Southeast Asia a cornerstone of his foreign policy, and during a trip to Asia last year, dubbed himself America's first "Pacific President."

"Since the beginning of the administration, we've tried to rebuild relations with ASEAN," said Jeff Bader, Obama's senior director for Asia on the National Security Council.

"We felt that the region had not gotten the attention that it needed and deserved in much of the previous decade."

Friday's two-hour meeting is expected to discuss trade and investment, evolving East Asian security and economic architectures and the longstanding and so far unsuccessful US pressure for political change in Myanmar.

The talks take place amid rising tensions between Japan and China over a territorial dispute in the East China Sea, and after Beijing warned Obama not to interfere in its row with southeast Asian states in the South China Sea.

China asserts complete sovereignty over the potentially resource-rich Spratly and Paracel islands in the South China Sea.

However, ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, plus non-member Taiwan have competing claims.

Bader said that Obama briefly discussed the South China Sea issue with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao when they met in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.

"I am confident that the issue will be discussed by the president and the ASEAN leaders when they meet tomorrow -- that the president will discuss it, and a number of the ASEAN leaders will discuss it," he said.

Some observers expect the meeting to issue a statement affirming freedom of navigation in the South China Sea on Friday.

Anticipating the New York meeting, China warned the United States on Tuesday to keep out of the dispute.

"We are resolutely opposed to countries not involved interfering... and we oppose the internationalisation of the South China dispute because it will only make the issue more complicated," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said.

But Bader noted that in Hanoi in July, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said resolving the South China Sea dispute was "pivotal" to regional stability and called for multilateral talks -- a position opposed by Beijing.

Friday's meeting is also likely to touch, at the request of the US, on developments in Myanmar, after Washington admitted it was disappointed with its efforts to use dialogue to promote democratic change in the military-ruled state.

"I am sure the president will address the issue of Burma," said Bader, using Myanmar's former name.

The military regime there is set to go ahead with November 7 elections, despite wide concern over their credibility.

Bader said Washington hoped, but did not expect to see free and fair elections, and the release of political prisoners including democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Earlier, Obama announced that he would visit Indonesia in November, after he was this year forced to cancel two previous attempts to make the trip to the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.

In a homecoming of sorts, he will visit a country where he spent several years as a boy with his late mother.

The visit will come after going to India and before heading to South Korea and Japan.

Friday's New York meeting will follow the inaugural summit that Obama held last year in Singapore with his counterparts from 10-member ASEAN.

Next month, in a further deepening of US ties with the region, Clinton will attend an East Asia Security summit in Hanoi.

Obama is expected to attend the forum from 2011 onwards.

ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The East Asia summit groups ASEAN, plus Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.

US-ASEAN meeting in New York

By Cheang Sokha (The Phnom Penh Post)

PRIME Minister Hun Sen left Cambodia yesterday to attend the 2^nd ASEAN-US Leaders’ Meeting in New York, where regional security, economic cooperation and the upcoming elections in Myanmar are expected to top the agenda.

Sri Thamrong, a government adviser who is part of the Cambodian delegation to the US, said yesterday that US President Barack Obama and heads of state from ASEAN’s 10 member nations would use the meeting to discuss a wide range of issues.

“The leaders of ASEAN and the US will look into the issues of economic, climate change, natural disasters, power security, food security, counterterrorism and other regional issues,” he told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport yesterday.

According to a draft copy of a joint statement set to be issued at meeting Friday, the US and ASEAN leaders plan to make pledges for “further enhance economic cooperation” with the aim of sustaining the recovery from the global economic downturn, and boosting job creation in each country. It noted that two-way trade between the US and the Southeast Asian bloc reached US$84 billion in the first six months of the year, up 28 percent over the same period last year.

The draft also addressed a series of regional flashpoints, including the situation in Myanmar, which is set to hold long-awaited but controversial elections on November 7. It stated that ASEAN welcomed the “continued US engagement” with the government of Myanmar, expressing hope that it will encourage the country’s military junta to “undertake political and economic reforms”.

“We… underscored the importance of a free, fair, inclusive and transparent general election on 7 November 2010 to the long term stability and prosperity of Myanmar,” it stated. Myanmar’s elections have drawn strong criticism from critics of the junta, who claim they are a merely a fig leaf for continued military rule.

The draft weighed in on the situation on the Korean Peninsula, making a joint call for the North Korean government to honour previous agreements to “abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes”. It also called for the “peaceful settlement of disputes in the region, including [the] South China Sea”, where island territories are claimed variously by China, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations.

On the issue of nuclear non-proliferation, the ASEAN-US draft statement reaffirmed the countries’ commitment to the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone, first established in 1995. The treaty, the draft stated, “contributes towards global nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation”.

It added, “We are committed to maintain the prevention of the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction and build a world free of their threat.”

In addition to these talks, Sri Thamrong said that Prime Minister Hun Sen will also take the opportunity to hold sideline talks with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. He did not go into detail about the likely content of the talks, but said it would focus on “various issues” to do with the two countries’ ongoing border dispute.