As Two Sides Meet, Slow Progress in Preah Vihear Border Dispute

Worapong Sanganetra, left, head of Thailand’s side of the working group, sit along with Neang Phat, right, a military general and chairman for Cambodia. (Photo: by Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer)

Thursday, 28 June 2012
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

"... the meeting had lasted so long because a discussion between the two countries was like one between siblings."

The Cambodian and Thai border working group met over disputed territory near Preah Vihear temple late into Wednesday night, with participants claiming afterwards slight progress toward reconciliation during a meeting that was at times tense.

Both sides said they would continue talks in Bangkok later this month to discuss the removal of land mines and the participation of an observer mission for the withdrawal of troops.

Neang Phat, a military general and chairman of the Cambodian side of the Joint Working Group, said there had been “progress.”

Thai Military Officials Arrive for Preliminary Talks

Bangkok continues to insist that a 4.6 kilometer stretch of land near Preah Vihear temple belongs to Thailand.

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Thursday, 02 September 2010

“Because they are not limited to the border, but relate to many issues, so I have allowed talks at this level.”

Senior Thai military officials arrived in Phnom Penh Thursday to hold talks with their Cambodian counterparts over border issues.

The preliminary talks will set the stage for a general border committee meeting that was postponed last month, defense officials said Thursday.

The resumption of talks at the military level comes after the resumption of diplomatic ties between the two countries last week and could pave the way for more discussions on a contentious border dispute over land near Preah Vihear temple.

Thailand's military commander for border affairs, Ni Phatthongleng, will meet with Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh over the weekend to discuss border issues like security and immigration.

But he could also work on a date for the general border committee meeting, Chhum Socheath, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said.

Border committee meetings are generally led by Tea Banh in conjunction with his Thai counterpart, Prawit Wongsunwon. It a the basis of discussions on issues ranging from landmine disposal to drug smuggling and human trafficking.

The larger problem of the Cambodian-Thai border dispute will have to be solved on another level, and Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Thursday those talks, between foreign ministers, would have to wait until Thai parliament agrees to several agreements already discussed in border meetings.

Military talks can continue, however, he said, “because they are not limited to the border, but relate to many issues.”

“So I have allowed talks at this level,” he said.

Sean Pengse invited for a visit to Norway

30 June 2007
By Moeung Tum
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

The Cambodian Watchdog Council International (CWCI) had invited Mr Sean Pengse as an honor guest to deliver a discussion about 4 major topics involving Cambodia to a Cambodian-born audience now living in Europe.

Men Nath, the organizer of the event, told RFA from Norway on Saturday night, that CWCI, a civil society organization, invited Mr Sean Pengse, President of the Cambodian Border’s Committee (CBC) based in France, as an honor guest to a special discussion on 4 major topics:

1. Cambodia’s border issues,
2. The development of the Indochinese Triangle,
3. Oil exploration in Cambodia, and
4. The increase in the number of illegal Vietnamese immigrants in Cambodia.

The special discussion will be held at Norway’s Historical Stiftelsen Arkivet building, located in Kristiansand, Southern Norway, between 12 and 18 July 2007.

Border issue not on discussion agenda [-That's what they claim only!]

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

By KS
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

Answering to an invitation by king Norodom Sihamoni, Nguyen Minh Triet, the Vietnamese Prime Minister, started a 3-day state visit in the kingdom. Welcomed at the airport by a few government officials, the Vietnamese president went directly to the Royal Palace at his arrival. He was received there by king Norodom Sihamoni. During his stay, Nguyen Minh Triet, who is accompanied by some 50 businessmen, will meet with both presidents of the National Assembly and the Senate, before meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen. With this trip to Cambodia, the Vietnamese president is returning the courtesy back to king Norodom Sihamoni who visited Vietnam in 2006. “It is courtesy call. There will not be any discussion on border issues because it is now resolved,” Long Vissalo, the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters. In 2005, the two countries ratified the Supplemental border treaty to the 1985 border treaty, which, at the time, was sharply criticized by the opponents of the prime minister.

Today again, some said that the border issue should not be closed. In a communiqué, the Cambodia Watchdog Council (CWC) organization firmly “condemns” the Vietnamese government “which uses its political might to pressure Cambodia and to encroach on her territory.” In this communiqué signed by Men Nath, CWC’s president, CWC calls upon the Cambodian government to repeal the 1982 treaty on the maritime border [imposed by Vietnam during its occupation of Cambodia].

Regarding the relationships with this neighbor, Sam Rainsy, the opposition leader, called on the government to think first and foremost on the interest of the country. “Cambodia must remain independent with respect to all foreign powers, whoever they may be,” Sam Rainsy stressed. Sam Rainsy also underscored the fact that the kingdom is courted by both China and Vietnam, each one of them is looking to balance their power in Cambodia.

Thun Saray, president of the Adhoc human rights NGO, noted that Vietnamese president’s visit carries both the economic and the political aspects. “Economic because he is accompanied by businessmen, and political because it must be viewed in the context of regional strategies carried out by powerful neighbors. Cambodia is in the interest of both Vietnam and China,” Thun Saray stressed.