Thanida Tansubhapol
Thailand wants to solve its border conflict with Cambodia through bilateral agreements and international law, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya reaffirms.
He set out the government's position yesterday in a letter to Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem. Vietnam chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Mr Kasit has also sent the letter to other Asean foreign ministers to clarify the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.
On Tuesday, Vietnam wrote to the government seeking Thailand's views after Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong called for Asean to intervene in the dispute, which concerns the overlapping boundary area near the Preah Vihear temple.
Cambodia has warned the disagreement could escalate into armed conflict.
Mr Kasit argued in the letter that there was room for the two countries to discuss the issue.
"With continued understanding from our Asean colleagues, Thailand and Cambodia will succeed in overcoming the bilateral challenge for the mutual benefits of the two countries and peoples in the spirit of good neighbourliness and Asean solidarity," he said.
The diplomatic tension did not affect other cooperation between the countries including border trade and regional cooperation schemes.
Thailand remained committed to exercising the utmost restraint, he said.
He confirmed to other Asean members that Thailand had no intention of delaying consideration of the three agreed minutes of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).
The Foreign Ministry has resubmitted the agreed minutes of recent meetings of the JBC to parliament for approval in line with the constitution.
The matter is now with parliament and will proceed in accordance with the democratic process, Mr Kasit said.
"This should not be construed as an intention to delay consideration of these three agreed minutes," said the minister.
They were not included in the present joint parliamentary meeting as too many other issues had to be discussed.
The next round of the JBC will take place only after the agreed minutes of the last meetings are approved.
The main issues at the meetings were the decision by the two countries to survey border areas, including those near the Preah Vihear temple, and to start to make aerial maps of the border.
Earlier, some senators and activists threatened to protest if the Foreign Ministry submitted the JBC documents to parliament for endorsement.
Critics said support for the memo could be interpreted as Thailand agreeing to cooperate with Cambodia to base border demarcation on a map drafted by colonial-era France which he said put Thailand at a disadvantage.
The Thai-Cambodian relationship turned sour after Thailand opposed Phnom Penh's management plan for Preah Vihear temple proposed to the World Heritage Committee meeting in Brazil last month.
The WHC decided to postpone consideration of the matter until its next annual meeting in Bahrain.
Cambodia is seeking help from international organisations including the United Nations and Asean to intervene.
Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said he is ready to hold talks with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on the issue, the Phnom Penh Post quoted a spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry Koy Koung as saying.
Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan has suggested the two leaders meet to discuss the countries' differences.
He set out the government's position yesterday in a letter to Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem. Vietnam chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Mr Kasit has also sent the letter to other Asean foreign ministers to clarify the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.
On Tuesday, Vietnam wrote to the government seeking Thailand's views after Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong called for Asean to intervene in the dispute, which concerns the overlapping boundary area near the Preah Vihear temple.
Cambodia has warned the disagreement could escalate into armed conflict.
Mr Kasit argued in the letter that there was room for the two countries to discuss the issue.
"With continued understanding from our Asean colleagues, Thailand and Cambodia will succeed in overcoming the bilateral challenge for the mutual benefits of the two countries and peoples in the spirit of good neighbourliness and Asean solidarity," he said.
The diplomatic tension did not affect other cooperation between the countries including border trade and regional cooperation schemes.
Thailand remained committed to exercising the utmost restraint, he said.
He confirmed to other Asean members that Thailand had no intention of delaying consideration of the three agreed minutes of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).
The Foreign Ministry has resubmitted the agreed minutes of recent meetings of the JBC to parliament for approval in line with the constitution.
The matter is now with parliament and will proceed in accordance with the democratic process, Mr Kasit said.
"This should not be construed as an intention to delay consideration of these three agreed minutes," said the minister.
They were not included in the present joint parliamentary meeting as too many other issues had to be discussed.
The next round of the JBC will take place only after the agreed minutes of the last meetings are approved.
The main issues at the meetings were the decision by the two countries to survey border areas, including those near the Preah Vihear temple, and to start to make aerial maps of the border.
Earlier, some senators and activists threatened to protest if the Foreign Ministry submitted the JBC documents to parliament for endorsement.
Critics said support for the memo could be interpreted as Thailand agreeing to cooperate with Cambodia to base border demarcation on a map drafted by colonial-era France which he said put Thailand at a disadvantage.
The Thai-Cambodian relationship turned sour after Thailand opposed Phnom Penh's management plan for Preah Vihear temple proposed to the World Heritage Committee meeting in Brazil last month.
The WHC decided to postpone consideration of the matter until its next annual meeting in Bahrain.
Cambodia is seeking help from international organisations including the United Nations and Asean to intervene.
Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said he is ready to hold talks with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on the issue, the Phnom Penh Post quoted a spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry Koy Koung as saying.
Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan has suggested the two leaders meet to discuss the countries' differences.
7 comments:
Bilateral means Thailand is bullying Cambodia. Thailand has no rights to claim anything from Khmer Preah Vihear Temple. Thai did not built the temple, Thailand supposed to withdraw all their army from area surrounding Preah Vihear which their never did.Thailand supposed to return all Khmer artifact to Cambodia which Thai never did. So, what hell Bilateral mean?? Nothing but Bullllllying Khmer people.
Just fuck the dumb Khmer, Kasit
Khmer should take the case of Khmer-Thai border to the UN. There were miles Thai enroached to Khmer land. When Khmer civil war ended, Khmer armies all side left our boarder unguarded, therefore, free for Thai to take Khmer land. It is imperative for Khmer government take the case to UN, not just around Preah Vihear but all border land as well sea. There were islands that Thai took including elephant island (Thai just named Chang Island). Forget bilateral! Say no to bilateral!
I don't know why Kasit is running loose and barking.
This guy should not be Foreign Minister. He is part of illegitimate
circus government clowns.
THE BEST SOLUTION IS THAI NEED USE ALL MEANS TO FORCE HUN SEN OUT OF POWER FIRST AND INSTALL A NEW CANDIDATE SUCH AS MP SAM RAINSY AS A NEW PRIME MINISTER OF CAMBODIA BEFORE SETTING BILATERAL TALK.
how can siem pad thugs be calmed; they are evil and jealous of cambodia's prosperity. i told you, they don't last forever. it's khmer's turn to prosperity, etc...!
Cambodian Govt should considered buying anti-air defend systems like Buk-M1, TOR-M1, while Thailand getting new fighter jets..JAS 39, Cambodia must get ready just incase Thailand threaten us with this kind of jets...TOR-M1, BUK-M1 can destroy Thailand air craft..
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