Cambodia agrees to talks on troops

Aug 12, 2011
Bangkok Post

Icy relations between Thailand and Cambodia are showing signs of thawing after the countries agreed to hold talks to discuss troop withdrawals from the area around Preah Vihear temple.

Both sides are scheduled to attend a Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting on Aug 23 and 24 in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

The RBC meeting will be chaired by commanders from Thailand's Second Army Region and Cambodia's Divison 4 following weeks of warming diplomatic relations since the Pheu Thai Party won the election last month, unseating the Democrat-led government.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's elder brother, former prime minister Thaksin, served a brief stint as economic adviser to Cambodia, riling the former government.

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Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday said the bilateral talks would end an atmosphere of "nightmarish cooperation" between the two nations, the Phnom Penh Post reported.

Hun Sen said the talks would pave the way for both the deployment of unarmed Indonesian observers and troop withdrawals from a demilitarised zone created by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July.

The ICJ ruling that created the zone followed deadly border clashes between the two countries earlier this year.

"I declare a new era of cooperation between the government of Cambodia now that Thailand is ruled by the Pheu Thai Party," Hun Sen said.

"What was going on in the last few years, which I considered nightmarish cooperation between the two countries, is now over.

"Now, we have to start negotiations at a bilateral level in order to ease the tensions."

He said he had suggested that Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh, and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, work with their Thai counterparts to set up a long-awaited General Border Commission (GBC) meeting, a mechanism established to settle disputes.

Both Hun Sen and Hor Namhong have written to their Thai counterparts expressing their support for renewed ties between the two peoples.

Hor Namhong invited his Thai counterpart, Surapong Towijakchaikul, to visit Cambodia to strengthen ties.

In Thailand, Defence Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa said he had assigned the Supreme Command, which acts as secretary-general to the GBC, to consider when and where the next GBC meeting would be held.

He said Gen Tea Banh had invited him to visit Cambodia and wanted the GBC meeting to take place soon.

Gen Yutthasak said the GBC meeting would be held by the end of this month.

Meanwhile, Ms Yingluck said she had confidence in Mr Surapong's ability to serve as foreign minister because he was knowledgeable in several fields.

The appointment of the Pheu Thai MP from Chiang Mai has drawn criticism from ministry officials due to his lack of experience in international affairs.

A foreign ministry source said former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama might be asked to serve as an adviser to Mr Surapong.

Mr Noppadon, Thaksin's legal adviser, will help Mr Surapong choose foreign ministry officials who will work with the minister's secretariat team. Former foreign ministry staff will also be invited to join the team.

The source said that shortly after Mr Surapong was named foreign minister, Mr Noppadon phoned ministry officials who worked with him during his ministerial stint in 2008.

Mr Noppadon invited them to join Mr Surapong's secretariat team as Mr Surapong was still new to the ministry and he did not know anybody, the source said.

Mr Noppadon denied reports he had been offered an adviser's role.He said he was still banned from politics and could not assume any political positions. But, considering his prior Foreign Ministry experience, he was willing to render his advice if asked.