via Khmer NZ
Published: 4/09/2010
The first top-level meeting on the Preah Vihear dispute between Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen is likely to take place earlier than expected in New York rather than in Brussels, diplomatic sources told the Bangkok Post yesterday.
Initially, Hun Sen had not planned to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York this year.
He is now likely to be in New York after US President Barack Obama officially invited all Asean leaders to the second US-Asean summit set for Sept 24.
The summit is expected to last two hours - half an hour longer than the first US-Asean summit held in Singapore in November last year.
The possibility of a high-level meeting between the leaders in Brussels was first revealed by Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan after his visit to Phnom Penh where he met Hun Sen and Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong on Aug 16.
Mr Surin spent more than two hours with Hun Sen but did not reveal details of their meeting.
Two days later the leaders confirmed their willingness to meet in Brussels.
When Phnom Penh announced on Aug 23 that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had resigned as Cambodia's economic adviser, Thailand decided to send its ambassador Prasas Prasasvinitchai back to Phnom Penh.
Phnom Penh then announced its ambassador, You Aye, would return to Bangkok.
The thawing of relations is the result of discussions at various levels resulting in Hun Sen agreeing not only to meet Mr Abhisit but also agreeing to discuss a resolution to Preah Vihear based on a framework proposed by intermediaries.
Hun Sen revealed to diplomatic sources in Phnom Penh that he had been silent on the Preah Vihear dispute for quite a while but was prompted to speak out only after Mr Abhisit appeared on a national televised programme with members of the Thai Patriots network led by the People's Alliance for Democracy in August.
The sources quoted Hun Sen as saying he was confused because on the one hand the Thai prime minister said he would explain the Thai position to the international community but wanted the dispute to be resolved bilaterally.
Hun Sen reacted strongly also because Mr Abhisit said that Thailand would apply diplomatic and military measures in dealing with Cambodia's encroaching upon the disputed area surrounding the Preah Vihear temple.
Hun Sen is very familiar with all the players on the Thai side but he questions why the memorandums of understanding (MoU) which have been agreed upon by both countries on the issue have not yet moved forward.
The Cambodian leader said there was a perception that Thailand is not really committed or that it cannot deliver, and that a resolution was also difficult because Preah Vihear had become a "hostage of Thai politics".
Hun Sen understood, however, that his Thai counterpart was under considerable pressure and had to balance the various forces in Thailand over the temple dispute, the sources said.
Despite these doubts and questions, Thailand and Cambodia continue to keep the channel of communications open through their respective defence ministers.
This is to ensure that the border dispute does not get out of hand, sources in both capitals said.
In an attempt to help defuse the situation, the point was made to Hun Sen that the hundreds of kilometres of border between the two countries had not been surveyed, nor was there clear demarcation. Each attempt to resolve the boundary issue failed because of a lack of trust.
The sources said it was proposed to Hun Sen that one way forward was for both leaders to meet when it was convenient.
It was suggested there were several opportunities to meet, namely at the Asia-Europe summit in Brussels in early October, the Asean summit in Hanoi at the end of October, the Asian Games in Gaungzhao in November, or at the Ayeyarwady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (Acmecs) in Cambodia in November.
There were a number of points proposed which would form the framework of discussions between both leaders when they meet, including:
- That both sides accept the fundamental fact that there is no defined border and that both sides commit to defining that border.
- That both sides exercise maximum restraint with regards to troop movements and avoid any movement that could lead to miscalculations or act in any way that would increase pressure at the border.
- To allow technical teams to find a process of moving forward - this should occur "when it is convenient" along the lines agreed in the MoU. By agreeing to this, a cooling down process would commence.
- Both sides should agree to an exchange of ambassadors.
- Given the political nature of the dispute which has heightened emotions on both sides, people-to-people exchanges should be encouraged.
Hun Sen had no difficulty in accepting the points and was willing to meet Mr Abhisit to discuss them, the sources in Phnom Penh said.
On the thorny issue of former prime minister Thaksin's role as economic adviser - an issue which prompted Thailand to withdraw its ambassador - Hun Sen said "he could not abandon Thaksin".
However it was made clear to Hun Sen that Thaksin's appointment via royal proclamation was very difficult for the Thai side to accept, especially when the former prime minister is viewed as a convicted fugitive.
Since his appointment as economic adviser, Thaksin has not visited Cambodia nor been active in his advisory role.
The sources in Phnom Penh quoted Hun Sen as saying that during the political turmoil in Thailand in May, Thaksin had asked to visit Cambodia but Hun Sen asked him not to come.
It is also widely known in Phnom Penh that Cambodian instructions were issued prohibiting troop movements along the border during the May riots as it could be misconstrued, and that Cambodians in Thailand should not be involved in the red shirt protests.
Apart from agreeing to meet Mr Abhisit and to discuss the four points, Hun Sen said he had nothing personal against the Thai leader and asked intermediaries to convey his "best wishes".
Hun Sen's agreement to meet Mr Abhisit and the possible points of discussion were conveyed to the Thai prime minister indirectly through intermediaries, the sources in both capitals said.
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