First day of Thai-Cambodian border meeting in Indonesia 'satisfying'

08 Apr, 2011
(MCOT online news)

BOGOR, April 8 - Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday reported the first day of Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting now being held in Indonesia's Bogor was satisfying, with both sides preparing to send a joint team to survey border posts and discuss how to select a company to take aerial photos of the disputed border.

Co-chairman Asda Jayanama of the Thai-Cambodian JBC led Thai delegates to the Bogor meeting yesterday and today, while the Cambodian delegation was led by Var Kim Hong, head of the Cambodian government's boundary commission.

The meeting was described by the Thai authorities as delightful and both sides have shown understanding to each other in order to resolve the border conflict by peaceful means.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of Information said Thailand has informed the meeting that the minutes of the last three JBC meetings are now pending parliamentary approval.

Cambodia reportedly acknowledged the matter and said it understood Thailand’s legal procedure, but while both countries are waiting for the Thai parliamentary approval, the two neighbours have discussed the plan to send joint a working team to survey border posts numbered 1 to 23.

The meeting also discussed qualifications of a company to take aerial photos of the area. The two preparations can be carried out immediately once the Thai Parliament endorses the three documents.

On Friday, the second day of JBC meeting, the delegations are scheduled to discuss the opening of new border crossings.

The Thai foreign ministry added that the ongoing JBC meeting was supported and facilitated by Indonesia, but the talks were held bilaterally, which means the existing bilateral framework can still function.

Indonesia, as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), earlier called for both the Thai-Cambodian JBC and the General Border Committee (GBC) meetings to be held on Thursday and Friday in Bogor.

The arrangement was part of an agreement to settle the border conflict between the two ASEAN neighbours and included a plan to dispatch Indonesian observers to monitor the ceasefire as earlier committed to by both Thailand and Cambodia. (MCOT online news)