via Khmer NZ
Published: 11/08/2010
Thailand has proposed talks with Cambodia to settle the dispute over the border area claimed by the two countries.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya yesterday said a Joint Boundary Committee meeting should be held soon to put the issue on the negotiating table. Thailand was arranging the date and venue of the meeting, he said.
Vasin Teeravechyan leads the Thai delegation to the JBC set up to resolve the unclear boundary dividing the two countries. The forum used the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2000 as a framework for negotiations.
Thailand yesterday also made diplomatic moves to counter Cambodia on the Preah Vihear temple issue.
Mr Kasit explained the Thai position to the envoys of eight members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday called on international involvement in the issue to solve the problem of the disputed area.
The minister has also sent a letter approved by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to the presidents of the United Nations Assembly General and the UN Security Council to explain the Thai stance.
The main thrust is that Thailand wants the disputed border to be resolved bilaterally through negotiation.
The prime minister will hold talks with UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon during his visit to the UN headquarters from Sept 20 to 27 to attend the General Assembly, government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said.
The prime minister told reporters at Government House that Thailand would not allow any country to intervene in the disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple.
"There is no need for any foreign country to worry about our problem because we will solve it under the MoU," he said.
Mr Abhisit said Cambodia had violated the memorandum by relocating people to a community set up inside the disputed 4.6 square kilometre area .
He expressed confidence the problems would not escalate.
Relations between Thailand and Cambodia soured again after the World Heritage Committee meeting on July 29 in Brazil delayed approving the management plan for the temple and surrounding area sent by Cambodia. Thailand protested that the area covered by the plan intruded on the overlapping zone.
First Army commander Kanit Sapitak said he and Cambodia's 5th military region commander Bun Seng held talks and shared the view that the two countries should settle the border conflict through negotiation and peaceful means.
Lt Gen Kanit said he and Lt Gen Bun Seng had agreed both armies would avoid armed confrontation and not use force.
No comments:
Post a Comment