Cambodia's former king Norodom Sihanouk (L) greets officials before his plane leaves for a private visit to Vietnam at the Phnom Penh International Airport June 22, 2010. REUTERS/Chor SokuntheaPHNOM PENH, June 22 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Cambodia's retired King Norodom Sihanouk began Tuesday his first visit to Vietnam since abdicating in 2004.
Sihanouk, his wife and King Norodom Sihamoni are making a four-day official visit at the invitation of Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet.
Ahead of Sihanouk's visit, nationalist activists including those from opposition Sam Rainsy Party and the Khmer People's National Liberation Front urged the former king to raise longstanding issues with Vietnam, including that of ethnic Khmers living in the Mekong River delta and on Koh Tral Island, which are areas under Vietnamese.
Koh Tral was awarded to the French colony in Vietnam in 1939 even though it is close to Cambodia's Kampot Province, 150 kilometers south of Phnom Penh.
The retired king is, however, unlikely to raise any political or historical issues, having already said his visit to Vietnam would be "purely private."
Following Sihanouk's abdication in 2004, his son Norodom Sihamoni ascended the Cambodian throne.
Sihanouk, his wife and King Norodom Sihamoni are making a four-day official visit at the invitation of Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet.
Ahead of Sihanouk's visit, nationalist activists including those from opposition Sam Rainsy Party and the Khmer People's National Liberation Front urged the former king to raise longstanding issues with Vietnam, including that of ethnic Khmers living in the Mekong River delta and on Koh Tral Island, which are areas under Vietnamese.
Koh Tral was awarded to the French colony in Vietnam in 1939 even though it is close to Cambodia's Kampot Province, 150 kilometers south of Phnom Penh.
The retired king is, however, unlikely to raise any political or historical issues, having already said his visit to Vietnam would be "purely private."
Following Sihanouk's abdication in 2004, his son Norodom Sihamoni ascended the Cambodian throne.
No comments:
Post a Comment