PM reassures Cambodia
Govt will continue bilateral cooperation
ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT
Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Thailand yesterday reassured Cambodia that the post-coup government in Bangkok would continue bilateral cooperation with Phnom Penh, including efforts to demarcate their ill-defined common border. The assurance was given by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont during his visit to the Cambodian capital yesterday.
Talking on his return to Bangkok yesterday, Gen Surayud said the two countries would need to transparently discuss whether to maintain or reschedule the timetable of the demarcation work.
''Cambodia needs to develop its maritime resources for the country's development and prosperity. Thailand will try to accommodate and accelerate its cooperation on any issue of mutual benefit,'' he said.
The interim prime minister and his entourage, which also included Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula and Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram, held talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen, met National Assembly president Heng Samrin and paid a courtesy call on Senate president Chea Sim, who was also acting head of state during their visit to Cambodia.
The ousted Thaksin Shinawatra government had a close working relationship with the Cambodian government.
The two countries have held two joint cabinet meetings since June, 2001 when former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai and senior minister Sok An signed a memorandum of understanding, allowing the two countries to commercially develop petroleum resources in the Gulf of Thailand, without having to wait for the final border demarcation.
Former foreign minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon agreed in February with his counterpart Hor Namhong to set a timeframe for land border demarcation within this year and sea boundary demarcation within 2007.
On Aug 10, a huge delegation led by Mr Thaksin made a surprise visit to Phnom Penh, hoping to strike some concrete agreements on the long pending development plans for the two countries' overlapping territories.
Foreign Ministry sources said the Cambodian leadership was quite happy with Gen Surayud's visit and his sincere assurance to continue cooperating on projects agreed under the Thaksin government. During Mr Thaksin's last visit, Thailand signed an agreement to extend a 1.3-billion-baht loan through Exim Bank to fund the construction of a highway from northwestern Cambodia, linking Siem Reap to Anlong Veng at Chong Sangam, opposite Surin province.
No agreement was reached on other issues, however.
Sources said it was quite clear that the interim government did not make great efforts to arrange visits to Burma and Singapore because of the critical comments made by the leaders of the two countries on the Sept 19 coup.
Gen Surayud told reporters that he would meet the Burmese leader at the 15th commemorative Asean-China Summit in Nanning later this month.
Talking on his return to Bangkok yesterday, Gen Surayud said the two countries would need to transparently discuss whether to maintain or reschedule the timetable of the demarcation work.
''Cambodia needs to develop its maritime resources for the country's development and prosperity. Thailand will try to accommodate and accelerate its cooperation on any issue of mutual benefit,'' he said.
The interim prime minister and his entourage, which also included Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula and Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram, held talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen, met National Assembly president Heng Samrin and paid a courtesy call on Senate president Chea Sim, who was also acting head of state during their visit to Cambodia.
The ousted Thaksin Shinawatra government had a close working relationship with the Cambodian government.
The two countries have held two joint cabinet meetings since June, 2001 when former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai and senior minister Sok An signed a memorandum of understanding, allowing the two countries to commercially develop petroleum resources in the Gulf of Thailand, without having to wait for the final border demarcation.
Former foreign minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon agreed in February with his counterpart Hor Namhong to set a timeframe for land border demarcation within this year and sea boundary demarcation within 2007.
On Aug 10, a huge delegation led by Mr Thaksin made a surprise visit to Phnom Penh, hoping to strike some concrete agreements on the long pending development plans for the two countries' overlapping territories.
Foreign Ministry sources said the Cambodian leadership was quite happy with Gen Surayud's visit and his sincere assurance to continue cooperating on projects agreed under the Thaksin government. During Mr Thaksin's last visit, Thailand signed an agreement to extend a 1.3-billion-baht loan through Exim Bank to fund the construction of a highway from northwestern Cambodia, linking Siem Reap to Anlong Veng at Chong Sangam, opposite Surin province.
No agreement was reached on other issues, however.
Sources said it was quite clear that the interim government did not make great efforts to arrange visits to Burma and Singapore because of the critical comments made by the leaders of the two countries on the Sept 19 coup.
Gen Surayud told reporters that he would meet the Burmese leader at the 15th commemorative Asean-China Summit in Nanning later this month.
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