Agreement on "historic waters" between Vietnam and Cambodia

(Baonghean.vn) - Question 38. What are the contents of the Agreement on "Historical Waters" between Vietnam and Cambodia?

On July 7, 1982, the governments of Vietnam and Cambodia signed an agreement on historical waters.

Reply:On July 7, 1982, Vietnam and Cambodia signed an Agreement on Common Historical Waters. This agreement included the following main contents:

- Define the specific boundaries of the "historic waters" (see diagram). Within these boundaries, both countries have the right to apply the same legal regime as for inland waters.

- The agreement "uses the Brévié line, drawn in 1939, as the dividing line for the islands in this area." This is the first recognition by both countries of sovereignty over the islands in the region, which have historically been the subject of complex and protracted disputes.

- The agreement states that "negotiations will be held at an appropriate time on the basis of equality, friendship, respect for each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and respect for each other's legitimate interests to delineate the maritime boundary between the two countries in historical waters."

- Patrolling and monitoring in these "historic waters" will be conducted jointly by both sides.

- The local people in this area still follow traditional fishing practices.

- Regarding the exploitation of natural resources such as oil, gas, and minerals in "historic waters," it will be subject to mutual agreement between the two parties; neither party may proceed unilaterally without an agreement.

This agreement on "historic waters" is of great political and legal significance in the history of relations between the two countries: for the first time, the issue of sovereignty over the islands in the region has been resolved in a reasonable and equitable manner, creating a legal basis for both countries to manage, protect, and exploit their maritime areas, contributing to a stable, secure, and orderly environment at sea, and strengthening the friendly cooperative relationship between the two countries.

According to the Q&A on Vietnam's Law of the Sea

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