Cambodia and Thailand agree to border talks

Jan 26, 2009
DPA

Phnom Penh - Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers meeting in Phnom Penh agreed Monday to negotiate a border dispute that last year erupted into a fatal skirmish between the South-east Asian neighbours.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters after his two-hour meeting with Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya that talks concerning the border surrounding the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple would resume next week.

'Our countries' Joint Border Commission will meet on February 2 to discuss border demarcation and our ministers of defence will meet on February 6,' he said.

Hor Namhong said the talks would aim at clearly demarcating the border near the Hindu temple, which has been a source of tension between Cambodia and Thailand for decades.

Tensions flared in July last year after the site was granted UNESCO World Heritage status, prompting nationalistic rhetoric from leaders of both countries.

Both countries deployed troops to the border area in October and each suffered casualties in sporadic fighting.

In November, they agreed to withdraw troops and resume talks but negotiations were delayed by political instability in Thailand.

Diplomatic efforts resumed after new Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva formed a government in mid-December.

Thai-Khmer border will solve through mutual mechanism [-It may help if The Nation learns how to properly spell Khmer King's name]

Mon, January 26, 2009
By Kavi Chongkittavorn
The Nation

Phnom Penh—Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajivia reaffirmed today with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that both countries would solve the border issues through the existing bilateral mechanisms.

Abhisit also hailed Hun Sen's positive speech made on 20 January in Oddar Meanchey to solve the ongoing border issues between the two countries. The Cambodian leader said he would not raise this issue at the upcoming Asean summit.

"As we are immediate neighbors and share common borders, traditions and cultures, my Government is committed to bringing better security and more prosperity to the livelihood of our two peoples and countries," Abhisit said in part in his letter, which was delivered to Hun Sen by Kasit during the courtesy call this afternoon.

In Oddar Meanchey, Hun Sen commented on the Thai-Cambodian relations that his country wants to prevent the resurgence of an armed conflict and urge both sides to continue the bilateral negotiations.

Abhisit expressed gratitude to Hun Sen for accepting the invitation to attend the 14th Asean Summit in Hua Hin on 27th February to 1st March. He also said that he would visit Cambodia in the near future "to enhance further all aspects of our relations."

Earlier Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya held "substantive" discussion with his Cambodian counterparty, Hor Namhong. He also had an audience with King Norodom Sihanoumi.

Cambodia and Thailand agree to more talks

Thailand and Cambodia agree to further talks over disputed land, including the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

Mon, 26 Jan 2009
Australia News Network

After two hours of official talks, Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to more negotiations to resolve a border land dispute.

Cambodian Foreign Minister, Hor Namhong, says this is another step forward in the show of restraint.

In November, the two countries agreed to pull their troops out from the disputed area near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple and to follow up with joint demarcation of the heavily mined frontier.

But the political turmoil in Thailand that led to the fall of the government delayed the implementation of the plan.

Mr Hor and his Thai counterpart, Kasit Piromya, also agreed on a joint committee, to meet in March, to look at a stretch of disputed sea in the Gulf of Thailand, believed to contain oil and natural gas.

Thailand, Cambodia to hold border talks next month

PHNOM PENH, Jan 26 (TNA) - Visiting Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya and Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told a joint press conference on Monday announcing that they had agreed to resolve their two countries' border dispute through peaceful means.

"The demarcation of the border at Preah Vihear temple and discussions over troops is an urgent priority," Hor Namhong told a joint press conference after the meeting.

"Both sides -- Cambodia and Thailand -- agreed to set a date from February 2 to 4 in which the joint border commission will start to demarcate territory."

Resolution of the long simmering border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia is expected to make headway next month when the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Committee (JBC) plans to meet.

Thai Defence Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan is scheduled to visit Phnom Penh on February 6, his first official visit to the Cambodian capital after assuming the post in December.

Regarding troop deployment by the two neighbouring countries at a disputed area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, Hor Namhong said Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen. Tea Banh will discuss the matter with Gen. Prawit during the latter's visit.

Also, the Thai-Cambodian JBC is scheduled to discuss technical and overlapped territorial waters problems in Thailand between February 2-4, while another meeting is to be held in March after the Thai Cabinet approves the list of Thai delegates attending the meeting, according to Hor Namhong.

Presently, technicians are searching for the remaining 25 border markers of the total 73, he said.

Tensions between the two countries flared in July last year when Preah Vihear was awarded UN World Heritage status. Although the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia, the most accessible entrance is in Thailand's northeastern province of Si Sa Ket.

Hor Namhong said he had also discussed with his Thai counterpart the status of the ancient Khmer artefacts seized earlier by Thai customs officials, asking Thailand when they could be returned to Phnom Penh.

Mr. Kasit, who arrived in Cambodia on Sunday for a two-day official visit, his first after having taken up the post, said the two countries would cooperate on solving their immediate problems in order to maintain the long, warm relations between peoples of the two countries.

Talks will be held peacefully and with brotherhood solidarity, Mr. Kasit added.

Cambodia and Thailand might meet for border talks in January 2009

Agreements to withdraw Thai troops reached in the Siem Reap talks on 12th November, 2008 between Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat (L) and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong (R) are awaiting the approval of the Thai parliament.

Radio Free Asia
By Sav Yuth
25th December, 2008
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

Cambodian officials said that the Khmer-Thai Joint Boundary Commission plans to meet for border talks in January next year.

Government officials said that the Khmer-Thai Joint Boundary Commission plans to meet in January after the border talks between the two countries have stalled due to the political crisis and the change of government in Thailand.

Chairman of the Cambodian Border Commission, Mr. Var Kim Hong, said on 25th December that he had received news from the Thai Foreign Ministry through the Thai embassy that all the documents agreed with Cambodia recently will be put to the Thai parliament for approval which will be convened at the end of January next year.

Mr. Var Kim Hong said that the next Khmer-Thai border talks will be held in Thailand but added that there is no timetable yet because they have to wait for the Thai parliament to approve the previous documents first.

Mr. Var Kim Hong said: “The meeting for talks on land boundary issues will be held in Thailand but there is no timetable for the actual planting of the border pillars have been decided yet.”

Mr. Var Kim Hong said he doesn’t know what the results of the talks will be because he doesn’t know about the stance of the new Thai government regarding the issues. But he added that currently, Thailand has a real government which he hopes this new government will continue to work with Cambodia on resolving the border issues.

Recently, the newly-elected prime minister of Thailand, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, said that his government will work hard to resolve the border issues with Cambodia.

Mr. Hor Namhong, foreign minister of Cambodia, has said that during the third border talks in Siem Reap on 12th November, 2008, he had requested for the withdrawals of all Thai troops from Wat Keo Sekhakirisvarak pagoda and the areas surrounding the Preah Vihear temple.

Mr. Hor Namhong said: “Cambodia had requested Thailand to withdraw all their troops from Wat Keo Sekhakirisvarak, from the areas around the pagoda and from the vicinity of the pagoda. It means that they have to withdraw much further then their present positions. Regarding the troops withdrawal, we told them that after the Thai parliament approved the agreements we all will start the withdrawals."

There are reports that, in Tatum and Anlong Veng areas in Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodian troops are on high alert because Thai troops are staging military drills in the areas.

Border talks with Cambodia to go ahead next month

SAROJ TO DO HIS BEST TO MEND TIES, WILL STICK TO TIMETABLE SET BY PREDECESSOR

Sunday September 07, 2008
ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT
Bangkok Post

Foreign Minister-designate Saroj Chavanaviraj has pledged to keep trying to mend ties with Cambodia and do his best to chair the Association of Southeast Asean Nations (Asean) meeting. Mr Saroj, 66, who said he would not give any formal interviews until his appointment is royally endorsed, stressed that he was committed to following the Thai-Cambodia meeting timeframe of the Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC).

Under the timeframe, agreed upon between his predecessor Tej Bunnag and the Cambodian foreign minister on Aug 19, both ministers would meet next month after the reduction of troops on the border near the Preah Vihear temple was completed.

Chairing the regional grouping would also be another main duty of the retired diplomat.

He said he would do his best in his new job.

Meanwhile, the commander-designate of the Second Army, Wiboonsak Neeparn, who is also the co-chair of the Thai-Cambodian Border Committee, said the political turmoil in Bangkok could be one of the reasons behind the indefinite postponement of the RBC meeting, which was to discuss the second phase of the troop redeployment in the controversial area around the Preah Vihear temple.

The meeting was to have taken place on Aug 29. Lt-Gen Wiboonsak conceded that Cambodia may not want to hold talks until the political conflict is resolved.

Another reason, he said, was the reshuffle and promotions within the Thai army. He will officially take over the post of Second Army commander on Oct 1.

Lt-Gen Wiboonsak stressed that both countries must honour the basic principle of the military reduction on equal terms.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Cambodia would withdraw all its military personnel from around the temple, which was listed as a World Heritage site on July 8, and install policemen instead.

Cambodia still has about 500 soldiers around the eastern side of the Preah Vihear foothill, while Thailand has deployed about 300 soldiers on the western side of the hill.

Foreign Ministry officials, however, predicted that progress in the Thai-Cambodian talks might not be as satisfactory as many would have hoped amid the political instability in Thailand.

The interim agreement to resolve the Preah Vihear border issues, which has to be endorsed by parliament to comply with the law on treaties, has not gone on the agenda of the cabinet meeting.

The interim agreement, prepared by the ministry with approval from the Cambodian side at a meeting in the resort town of Cha-am last month, was to provide a legal platform for officials to discuss the issues related to the border survey and demarcation under the terms of reference and master plan of the initial JBC agreement.