By Meng Chhai
Unofficial translation by LyKC
Phnom Penh: Cambodia's Chief Diplomat declared that the meeting in Indonesia on 7 and 8 April 2011 to seek solution to the Cambodian-Thai border conflict was tense and dragged on without achieving any results. This was because Thailand did not have the good will to peacefully resolve the border conflict.Cambodian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong said this in an interview broadcast from Indonesia on CTN on 9 April 2011 on the result of the Cambodian-Thai Joint Border Committee, or JBC in short in English.
Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong pointed out that there were only three items on the agenda of the JBC meeting on 7 and 8 April 2011 in Bogor, Indonesia. The three items had earlier been agreed upon by the Cambodian and Thai sides. The three items were instead discussed in a most tense situation which dragged on until 2130 on 8 April 2011.
The three items on the agenda of the JBC meeting were:
1. The dispatch of technical teams to search for border markers from Nos 1 to 23 in five areas along the Cambodian-Thai border, from Anlung Veng to Prasat Ta Moan temple.
2. The second item concerns taking aerial photos along the border to search for old border markers;
3. The third item: the opening of Stoeng Bot border gate in Banteay Meanchey province.
Chief Diplomat Hor Namhong stressed that if Thailand had the good will to successfully resolve this issue, we would simply send technical teams to search for border markers and find a company to take aerial photos to look for old border markers without dragging on the matter. Our Cambodian side wanted to do it immediately by sending technical staff to do this without waiting any further. Moreover, these points were not related to Thai politics and Thai parliament. This was simply joint photo sessions.
On the contrary, and once again, the Thai side proposed to wait first for the ratification by the Thai parliament of the minutes of JBC's discussions in 2008 and 2009. Since April 2009, these minutes have not yet been approved by the Thai parliament and had been passed on back and forth.
Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong pointed out that Thailand's action showed a stance lacking good will and Thailand's bad intention to peacefully and amicably resolve the border conflict as it has repeatedly and loudly claimed.
Continuing Chief Diplomat Hor Namhong said that at the JBC meeting led on the Cambodian side by Senior Minister Va Kim-hong, the Thai side did not agree on setting the date of the next JBC meeting. Thailand proposed that agreement be reached between Cambodia and Thailand through diplomatic channel. Cambodia, however, requested that Indonesia -- ASEAN chairman -- be the facilitator because Indonesia has received the mandate from the UN Security Council to coordinate talks between Cambodia and Thailand to resolve the border issue. Moreover, Indonesia, ASEAN chairman, has also received the mandate from the entire ASEAN at the meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers on 22 February 2011 when they issued a statement authorizing ASEAN to appropriately contribute to resolving the Cambodian-Thai border issue.
Cambodia thus insisted that that Indonesia takes part in setting up meetings. Thailand, however, persistently rejected Indonesia's role.
Hor Namhong stressed again that Thailand has no good will and has dirty tricks. Thailand only wants bilateral talks. However, these talks over the past few years have not produced any result whatsoever. This was why the UN Security Council and ASEAN have delegated the task to Indonesia to coordinate between Cambodia and Thailand to move toward peacefully resolving the border issue and respect a permanent ceasefire.
Chief Diplomat Hor Namhong pointed out that the refusal to accept Indonesia's role in setting up the next JBC meeting showed Thailand's bad intention on talks. Thailand only used talks only for show, while Cambodia wants talks to achieve concrete and good results to peacefully and amicably resolve the issue between Cambodia and Thailand.
Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong also stressed that it is unfortunate that we (Cambodia) has a neighbor (Thailand) led by tricky leaders.
Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong pointed out that at the two-day JBC meeting, Thailand agreed on only one issue, namely the sending of technical teams to set up a new border gate at Stoeng Bot in Banteay Meanchey province.
Continuing Hor Namhong said that Thailand agreed on this point only because of the benefit to Thailand with trucks allowed to carry goods to avoid disturbing Poipet border gate which is reserved for tourists. Thai goods coming into Cambodia are worth over $2,000 million annually. So, the opening of the new border gate would greatly benefit Thailand.
As for sending Indonesian observers to monitor the ceasefire in the area near the Preah Vihear temple, Hor Namhong said that Cambodia has immediately agreed to the two or three arrangements, TOR [terms of reference], made by Indonesia for a ceasefire to unconditionally and openly accept Indonesian observers. So far, however, Thailand has not yet officially responded.
Chief Diplomat Hor Namhong added that we've heard that Thailand has imposed conditions that Indonesian observer do not carry weapons, do not wear military uniform, and are simply diplomats and as ordinary civilians. Thai army commander also affirmed that those observers will not be allowed in the area Thailand claims to be the 4.6-square-kilometer square kilometers. In fact this territory belongs to Cambodia. Cambodia, however, is ready to make concession in order to move toward stationing Indonesian observers along the border area to avoid further armed conflicts.
In any case, Chief diplomat Hor Namhong also stressed that he has informed Indonesian foreign minister of Cambodia's stance that we continue to make concession in order to have Indonesian observers stationed at the border near Prasat Preah Vihear temple, and that Thailand could agreed to this stance.
The groundless stance of tricky Thai leaders, however, does not leave us with any hope because they (Thailand) want to use the talks only for show. Thailand's real goal is to get Cambodian territory, what Thailand called the 4.6-square-kilometer area.
It should be recalled that even though he did not attend the Cambodian-Thai-Indonesian foreign minister meeting -- because of the refusal by Thai foreign minister to abide by the call of ASEAN chairman to attend the meeting -- Chief Diplomat Hor Namhong will attend the 9 April 2011 conference of ASEAN-Japan foreign ministers on tsunami and earthquake in Japan.
Only the JBC met at the two-day meeting to resolve the Cambodian-Thai border conflict. The meeting of the GBC [General Border Committee] led by Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers did not take place because of Thailand's absence without notice.
Deputy Prime Minister Tea Banh led the Cambodian military delegation back to Phnom Penh from Indonesia on 9 April 2011 morning. Even though he did not attend the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Tea Banh pointed out that Cambodia had complied with the ASEAN chairman's requests. Right from the beginning Cambodia has properly and fully played its role as required by its duty.
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