JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Southeast Asian leaders failed to find a solution to a deadly border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia that could undermine peace and stability in the region as it pushes for economic integration.
The prime ministers of the two feuding nations held talks Sunday — mediated by Indonesia's president — as part of efforts to hammer out a lasting cease-fire.
But neither seemed in any mood to back down.
"There's no conclusion," Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told reporters after the rare, three-way talks. "We'll need further talks after this."
Other topics discussed during the two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit included Myanmar's bid to take over the rotating chair of the regional grouping in 2014 — though a final decision has yet to be made — and concerns about food shortages, spiraling energy prices, human trafficking and maritime security.
They focused heavily on the potentially oil-rich Spratly islands, claimed in whole or in part by China and four ASEAN members — Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Vietnam.
The smaller nations, together with the U.S., worry that China may use its military might to seize the area outright or assume de facto control with naval patrols.
That could threaten one of the world's busiest commercial sea lanes.
"We deemed the South China Sea issue, in all its various dimensions, as having the potential to undermine the stability of our region," according to the final communique released after the meeting.
The annual summit was supposed to focus on developing an integrated regional economic zone by 2015, but repeated outbreaks of fighting along the Thai-Cambodia border stole the show.
Host Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in his opening statement that little can be accomplished without peace and stability among member countries.
To that end, he agreed to mediate the talks between the Cambodian and Thai prime ministers about fighting that has killed 20 people in the last two weeks and sent tens of thousands fleeing.
The deadly spat — focused around ancient temples claimed by the two nations — has stirred nationalist sentiment on both sides.
But analysts say domestic politics is fanning the fire, especially in Thailand, where the military that staged a coup in 2006 could be posturing ahead of elections expected as early as next month.
Neither side appeared ready to budge, however.
During the plenary session on Saturday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen called a demand by Thailand to withdraw troops from the area before it allows for the deployment of outside military observers both "irrational and unacceptable."
"It's Thailand that has to withdraw its troops from the vicinity," he said, reiterating his position to reporters following Sunday's three-way talks.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva stressed, again, that the disagreement should be settled bilaterally, not on the international stage, as apparently favored by Cambodia.
"The ultimate objective must be to achieve lasting peace," not to score "political points," he said.
Talks will continue between foreign ministers from Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia on Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Southeast Asian leaders said while they agreed in principal to the idea of Myanmar taking over the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2014, the final decision, expected later this year, should be contingent on continued democratic reforms.
That represented a marked shift from a draft statement that had been circulating hours earlier saying member nations had "consented" to the proposal by Myanmar's president, Thein Sein, who heads the military-backed party that overwhelmingly won general elections late last year.
The regional grouping chairmanship is supposed to rotate annually among its 10 member countries.
Myanmar, which has more than 2,000 political prisoners, was forced to skip its turn in 2005 after heavy pressure from the international community over slow progress on human rights and other issues.
ASEAN is comprised of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Associated Press writers Ali Kotarumalos in Jakarta and Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.
2 comments:
Thai today politic is almost the same USA politic in Vietnam from 19 60 t0 1975.
During this time, Thai helped the US to bomb Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, because the US Army only have the virus of communist in their mind. They feel, they was able to eliminate the communist in Vietnam by doing the big wars. But Vietnam won the war with the help of Cambodia and Laos. The US lost the war and leave the innocent people alone.
Now, the Thai government is going into the same situation of attacking Cambodia. Because Thai has the Khmer virus in their body and mind. They have the feeling, must eliminate the Khmer included Khmer Surin plus other Khmer descents in Thailand from this planet. Afterward they can inform the world, that Thai is the descent people of the former Khmer King Jayavarman.
But please, remembered at the end we real Khmer will win this fight without Vietnam again the Thai aggressors, because we have the Khmer blood and know, what we are fighting for.
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 30,000 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 30,000km2 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 30,000 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 every day.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 30,000 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?
Koh Tral was a Cambodian island, and technically and legally, remained a Cambodian island until today.
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
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