Cambodian, Thai Border Committees To Meet in Indonesia

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Wednesday, 09 March 2011

via CAAI

Photo: Reuters

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa (C), accompanied by Cambodia Foreign Minister Hor Namhong (L) and Thailand Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya (R) speaks in a news conference after a meeting in Jakarta February 22, 2011.

“We proposed Cambodia to come back to these mechanisms.”

Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to a round of border talks later this month in Indonesia, officials said Tuesday.

The two-day meeting, scheduled to begin March 24 in the city of Bogor, follows deadly clashes between the two sides in February and underscores the role of Indonesia, the current head of Asean, as mediator.

Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong told VOA Khmer Tuesday Cambodia is ready to have talks with the participation of Indonesia.

The meeting, at the invitation of Indonesia’s foreign minister, Marty Natalegawa, would include members of the Thai-Cambodia General Border Committee and the Joint Border Committee.

Thai government spokesman Panitan Watanayagorn said Thailand would attend the talks, but he maintained the Thai position that discussions should continue bilaterally.

“These are the mechanisms at the bilateral level,” he said. “We proposed Cambodia to come back to these mechanisms.”