PM Hun Sen appeals Thai parliament to approve agreements

Sep. 1, 2010
(Xinhua News Agency)

PHNOM PENH-- Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed Wednesday to Thai parliament to approve agreements made by the foreign ministers of the two countries in order to help solve the border problem.

Hun Sen made the appeal at the conferring of certificates to students in Phnom Penh.

He said once the three agreed minutes approved by the Thai parliament, after then it will pave the way for the two governments to continue smooth talks and will help solve the border problem.

The three agreements referred to the setting up of a joint committee to look into the redeployment of the armed forces, the real action of redeployment of the armed forces at the area near Keo Sikhakiri Svarak and Preah Vihear Temple, and to jointly demine the areas.

Prime Minister Hun Sen also said he is ready to hold talks with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and such meeting will be learned in the several upcoming venues and events such as Asia- Europe to be held in Brussels early in October, ASEAN summit to be held in Vietnam in late October or leaders' meeting of ACMECS to be held in Cambodia in November.

He said for just having bilateral talks which will cover many issues of common interests and not necessary to only talk on border issue -- outside mediation for such meeting is not necessary sought.

However, he said, if the border problem still finds no way out, the third party is in real need saying Cambodia cannot wait for too long.

Cambodia and Thailand has had border conflict just one week after Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple was registered as World Heritage Site on July 15, 2008.

Since the conflict started, military standoff has been on and off along the two countries' border and several military clashes have already been happened with recorded small causalities from both sides.

The International Court of Justice on June 15, 1962 ruled in favor to Cambodia, saying Preah Vihear Temple is belonged to Cambodia, but after July 2008, Thailand has claimed ownership of the surrounding land covering over 4.6 square kilometers near the temple.

Hun Sen said on Wednesday that as long as Thailand redeploys its troops just like the time before July 15, 2008, the border issue will be solved peacefully and smoothly.

On the part of Thaksin's resignation, Hun Sen said, Cambodia only approved his request to do so and his status had nothing related to the border conflict.