Cambodia, Thailand agree on turning battlefields to JDAs

BANGKOK, February 14 (TNA) - Cambodia and Thailand have agreed on turning all previous battlefields into joint development areas (JDAs) between the two member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Defence Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Kongcheep Tantrawanit told journalists in Bangkok on Thursday that the agreement has been reached between Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Tea Banh and his Thai counterpart General Prawit Wongsuwan in Phnom Penh. The spokesman stated that General Prawit, who oversees national security and is leading a senior Thai military delegation to pay a two-day visit to Cambodia to attend the 14th General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting of the two neighboring countries during February 13-14, held bilateral talks with his Cambodian counterpart in the Cambodian capital prior to the 14th Thai-Cambodian GBC Meeting and then reached the agreement. The spokesman said the battlefields-turned-JDAs include border areas in Thailand's eastern Chanthaburi and Trat Provinces and Cambodia's western Pursat, Pailin and Battambang Provinces. According to the spokesman, Phnom Penh and Bangkok have agreed to set up the Thai-Cambodian Regional Border Committee (RBC) to jointly discuss and take comprehensive actions based on the agreement to turn all the targeted cross-border areas to become JDAs for friendship, security and mutual benefits in the foreseeable future. The spokesman acknowledged that during the talks, in which Thailand's Permanent Secretary for Defence, Armed Forces Chief, Secretary-General to the National Security Council (NSC) and representatives of the Royal Thai Armed Forces and other relevant agencies also participated, both sides also expressed their appreciation to the considerable improvement of bilateral ties and cooperation between both ASEAN neighboring countries, thanks to strong relations between the two countries' armed forces and administrations. Besides, both sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation between the Cambodian and the Thai armed forces, particularly in the areas of land and marine security, through annual meetings of their armed forces chiefs. (TNA)