Agreement on "historic waters" between Vietnam and Cambodia

(Baonghean.vn) - Question 38. What is the content of the Agreement on "historical waters" between Vietnam and Cambodia?

On July 7, 1982, the Governments of Vietnam and Cambodia signed the Agreement on historical waters.

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

- Determine the specific scope of the "historic waters" (see diagram). Within this scope, the two countries have the right to apply the legal regime as for internal waters.

- The agreement "takes the Brévié line drawn in 1939 as the dividing line for the islands in this area". This is the first recognition of sovereignty by the two countries over the islands in the area where complex and long-standing disputes have existed throughout history.

- The agreement "will negotiate 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 border between the two countries in historical waters".

- Patrolling and control in this "historical water area" will be carried out jointly by both sides.

- The fishing of local people in this area still follows traditional business practices.

- The exploitation of natural resources such as oil, gas, minerals... in "historical waters" will be agreed upon by both parties; without an agreement, neither party may proceed unilaterally.

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 manner and has created a legal basis for the two countries to manage, protect and exploit their sea areas, contributing to creating a stable environment, security and general order at sea, and strengthening the friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries.

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

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