Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya will decide during the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting on the deployment of Indonesian observers at the 4.6 square kilometre disputed border area, Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said on Thursday morning.
Mr Kasit said on Wednesday said he had agreed with Phnom Penh and Jakarta that Indonesian observers could inspect the disputed area.
He said 15 Indonesian observers would deployed in Thailand and 15 in Cambodia. They would be allowed to approach the disputed area, but would not be permitted to enter it. They must not be armed or wear military uniform, but must arrive as diplomats.
Gen Prawit said Mr Kasit called him on the telephone on Wednesday seeking a face to face meeting. He had told Mr Kasit it was not necessary as they could talk on the telephone.
"I told the foreign minister that he can make any decision himself during the JBC meeting [in Indonesia] as long as it is not contrary to the laws and the constitution of Thailand.
"No problem. I believe the minister knows what he should do," he said.
Gen Prawit said while Mr Kasit is responsible for the JBC meeting, which begins today in Bogor, Indonesia, he would make a decision on if and where the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting would be held.
The minister said after JBC meeting he would talk to Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh on the telephone to consider when to hold the GBC meeting.
Gen Prawit and Gen Tea Banh co-chair the GBC. The two foreign ministers chair the JBC.
Gen Prawit said the 8th GBC meeting must be bilateral, as agreed in the Memoorandums of Understanding of 1995 and 2000.
Defence spokesman Col Thanathip Sawangsaeng said if Mr Kasit agrees to allow the Indonesian observers to be deployed on Thai soil he must be able to ensure they would not violate the law, such as by not carrying weapons, and to explain where they would be positioned, the length of their mission and the extent of their authority.
The Foreign Ministry must explain this to the Thai people, he said.
The military top brass announced on Tuesday that they did not want Indonesian observers to enter the disputed area around Preah Vihear temple.
1 comment:
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By Ms. Rattana Keo
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 10,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 10,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 10,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 10,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
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