Cambodia, Laos to start marking border

Cambodia, Laos to start marking border

PHNOM PENH (DPA): Laos and Cambodia will begin marking
sections of their disputed common border next month for the first
time and hope to have all border disputes solved by the end of
2000, officials said on Monday after a meeting of the two
country's prime ministers.

Visiting Lao Prime Minister Sisavath Keobounphanh met for more
three hours with Prime Minister Hun Sen. The two men agreed that
the two sides would meet at the remote frontier on May 27 to
start marking undisputed areas.

Hun Sen and Sisavath also pledged to try to have all disputes
on the border solved by the end of this year, said Var Kim Hong,
head of Cambodia's border committee.

Laos and Cambodia have never agreed on their 540-kilometer
border, much of which was previously inaccessible because it was
held by Cambodian Khmer Rouge guerrillas.

Cambodia has ongoing border disputes with all three of its
immediate neighbors, but has pledged to agree on a treaty with
Vietnam by the end of this year.