In so far as we speak, there have been three Japanese Ambassadors and the same number for the French before we have this girl student hostel in place. The Francophone built here a hostel and the Royal Government built a few more in the same place. I came to this institute several times started from 1983, 1990, 1981, and so on. Before I went for a political negotiation in Paris, in 1992, I also came here, at the time when the former Soviet Union was in its stage of collapse. The Soviet Union then withdrew its assistance and we had to find out who could take over the burden. It was coincidental that the then French Foreign Minister – co-chairman of the Paris Peace settlement at that time – was here. What we saw was that there was no other option better than getting the French to help us.
Not long after that the French has decided to help, we then came to another problem – teaching language. Our students before learned in Russian, they then had to convert to French. Taking this matter into consideration, may I propose to HE the French Ambassador here that the French Government should not leave this institute at all. I am glad to learn that most of the students who have completed their studies here have been successful in the job market.
With regard to Cambodia’s economic growth there have been various predictions sometime too high and sometime very low. The first projection was 1.9% and later 2.4% and by the end of the year they said we did 7%. By the end of the first three months of the following year, they said we did 9.8% and as I am going to have a meeting with the IMF delegation today, I learned that they suggested that we actually did 12%. No matter how much they said about our economic performance, what we should do is to keep up making efforts. In the Cabinet meeting I said that we should keep our GDP registration firmly at 9.8% as the extra percentage should be cross checked.
The main factors leading to the GDP high score have been anything from tourism, agriculture, textiles, etc. and especially the construction. Taking this opportunity I wish to appeal to all construction companies, the Japanese ones first of all, help recruit more of the Cambodian architects and construction engineers. We have more big projects to do and before long the construction of big bridges will start – the bridge of Prek Tameak and the bridge of Prek Kdam, which will be constructed at the financial loan from the Chinese Government. The same should be said for the forthcoming construction of the Neak Loeung bridge by the Japanese financial assistance too. I advise serious consideration taken in the initiative to build a hangover before the NITC, where traffic congestion occur everyday.
As far as electricity is concerned in 2005 we produced in all a sum of 55 megawatts but as of the moment we speak, we are in demand for another 13 megawatts. By June or July we will have an addition of another 45 megawatts plus ten megawatts from another company. Sometimes we have planned so much for 2010, but our demand has reflected from 2006 already.
As far as our presence in Sudan is concerned, the problem they have now is to survive with the heat of 47 degree celcius. Some countries have now plunged into the state of conflicts while Cambodia is now in its stage of peace and in the position of helping others, friends for peace. We have brought to them our experiences. Our actions have been merely humanitarian. Our forces, as I had said at their departure – are neither forces for fighting, aggression or occupation, nor fighters for money./.
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