Conflict could hurt ASEAN, no top-level talks scheduled

Yassine Majdi and Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 05/06/2011

The lack of a scheduled meeting between the Thai and Cambodian leaders on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit this weekend to solve a border crisis threatens to derail regional integration and is an embarrassment to the grouping, critics say.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva indicated Wednesay he had no intention of holding talks on the border clashes with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Jakarta. “I met Hun Sen four times late last year, and then in February clashes erupted,” Abhisit told the Bangkok Post in the Thai capital.

“And I insist that each clash is not an accident. It is an intention to internationalize the issue.”

The Cambodian-Thai dispute over the area surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple began in 2008.

Indonesia, the current chair of ASEAN, “proposed both countries solve the issue at the regional platform”, Foreign Affairs spokesman Michael Tene said.

But any attempt by Indonesia to mediate has proved fruitless because of Cambodia’s attempt to internationalize the dispute by turning to the UN Security Council and Thailand’s refusal to bring in external participation, Adinda Tenriangke Muchtar, the program director at the Indonesian Institute, said.

Both Michael and Adinda agreed that the conflict would slow down the construction of the ASEAN community, which regional planners want achieved by 2016.

Adinda said the issue would prove to be a test of ASEAN’s ability to turn the region into a community.

Michael insisted Indonesia was concerned about the latest developments and would continue to mediate as chair of ASEAN.

Another obstacle brought about by the dispute is the upcoming Thai parliamentary election scheduled for July. “This can slow down negotiations since nationalists will highlight this dispute as part of the national agenda. The current government is now under scrutiny over this issue,” Adinda said.

The dispute will certainly be at the center of talks at the ASEAN Summit on the weekend, with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natelagawa declaring “the conflict would be discussed at the ASEAN Summit on a bilateral and multilateral basis”.

Civil society organizations attending the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum in Jakarta on Thursday called on ASEAN to immediately impose a cease-fire to the fighting.

“Bilateral talks have proven ineffective, so it is crucial for ASEAN leaders to play a leading role in ending the conflict,” Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association president Thun Saray said.

“ASEAN should deploy observers along the disputed border area as soon as possible and promote its role to maintain a permanent cease-fire in the region,” Thai national Suntaree H. Saeng-ging said, reading out the joint statement with Thun Saray.