ID :
171458
Tue, 03/29/2011 - 06:07
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/171458
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THAI AGREES GBC WITH CAMBODIA BE HELD IN INDONESIA
By Jamaluddin Muhammad
BANGKOK, March 29 (Bernama) -– Thailand today agreed to Cambodia's proposal that the forthcoming Thai-Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) meeting be held in Indonesia.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thailand welcomed the meeting wherever it was held.
"I welcome (it) if the meeting is confirmed...wherever it is set to be held," he told reporters here.
He was asked to comment on Cambodian Defence Miniser Gen Tee Banh's proposal on the matter.
It was reported earlier that Cambodia, as the host of the forthcoming GBC meeting, had proposed it be held in Indonesia for two days, beginning April 7.
During the Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting in Jakarta on Feb 22, it was agreed, among others, that future Thai-Cambodia bilateral meetings be held in a third country.
The meeting also agreed that observers from Indonesia, the current chair of Asean, be embedded with Thai and Cambodian troops, respectively, at the border.
Asked to comment on the Thai Army's earlier indication that it would not agree to the GBC being held in a third country, Abhisit said: "The defence ministry will consider the proposal but in their (army's) mind, it would be good if the meeting can be held either in Thailand or Cambodia."
Abhisit stressed that details of the GBC meeting would be about Thailand and Cambodia, and not about the third party.
Between Feb 4 and 16, there were reports of several clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops at the disputed border area, using heavy weapons, including bombs, rockets and machine-guns, and resulting in the loss of 10 lives from both sides.
The border dispute involved both nations claiming an area of 4.6 sq km surrounding the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear Hindu Temple as the area has yet tobe demarcated, including the access route to the temple.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple was located in Cambodia, and it was listed as a world heritage site by Unesco in 2008.
Phnom Penh felt that the bilateral mechanisms had not achieved its desired results in solving the border dispute.
The Thai-Cambodia Joint Commission on Demarcation of Land Boundary (JBC) could not move its survey and demarcation task forward for areas adjacent to the temple since its last meeting in Phnom Penh in April 2009, because the Thai Parliament was still considering the minutes of the JBC meetings.
At the height of the recent border tension, both nations referred their case to the United Nations Security Council while Asean extended its hand in facilitating efforts to reduce the tension.
BANGKOK, March 29 (Bernama) -– Thailand today agreed to Cambodia's proposal that the forthcoming Thai-Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) meeting be held in Indonesia.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thailand welcomed the meeting wherever it was held.
"I welcome (it) if the meeting is confirmed...wherever it is set to be held," he told reporters here.
He was asked to comment on Cambodian Defence Miniser Gen Tee Banh's proposal on the matter.
It was reported earlier that Cambodia, as the host of the forthcoming GBC meeting, had proposed it be held in Indonesia for two days, beginning April 7.
During the Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting in Jakarta on Feb 22, it was agreed, among others, that future Thai-Cambodia bilateral meetings be held in a third country.
The meeting also agreed that observers from Indonesia, the current chair of Asean, be embedded with Thai and Cambodian troops, respectively, at the border.
Asked to comment on the Thai Army's earlier indication that it would not agree to the GBC being held in a third country, Abhisit said: "The defence ministry will consider the proposal but in their (army's) mind, it would be good if the meeting can be held either in Thailand or Cambodia."
Abhisit stressed that details of the GBC meeting would be about Thailand and Cambodia, and not about the third party.
Between Feb 4 and 16, there were reports of several clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops at the disputed border area, using heavy weapons, including bombs, rockets and machine-guns, and resulting in the loss of 10 lives from both sides.
The border dispute involved both nations claiming an area of 4.6 sq km surrounding the 1,000-year-old Preah Vihear Hindu Temple as the area has yet tobe demarcated, including the access route to the temple.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple was located in Cambodia, and it was listed as a world heritage site by Unesco in 2008.
Phnom Penh felt that the bilateral mechanisms had not achieved its desired results in solving the border dispute.
The Thai-Cambodia Joint Commission on Demarcation of Land Boundary (JBC) could not move its survey and demarcation task forward for areas adjacent to the temple since its last meeting in Phnom Penh in April 2009, because the Thai Parliament was still considering the minutes of the JBC meetings.
At the height of the recent border tension, both nations referred their case to the United Nations Security Council while Asean extended its hand in facilitating efforts to reduce the tension.
