Thai-Cambodian border issues need further discussion

Cambodia insisted on resolving the border disputes with Thailand via the International Court of Justice, after a two-day meeting with Thai representatives over the weekend.

"Cambodia chooses a peaceful resolution based on international law through the ICJ mechanism for solving the border dispute," said Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet in his Facebook post on Sunday.

Cambodia and Thailand signed an agreement minutes after the 6th Meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC), which was wrapped up Sunday afternoon in Phnom Penh.

Thailand ambassador Prasas Prasasvinitchai, Co-Chair of the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission (Thai side), and Lam Chea, Minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs, who is also Co-Chair (Cambodian side), jointly chaired the closing session of the meeting.

"The meeting was held in a friendly and understanding atmosphere, in a spirit of open and positive dialogue," said the State Secretariat of Border Affairs of Cambodia in a press release issued after the meeting, the Cambodian national news agency Agence Kampuchea Press reported.

According to the statement released by the Cambodia government, the border disputes at Mom Bei area and the temple complexes of Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Tauch, and Ta Krabei were not part of the agenda.

Cambodian Minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs and Chairman of the Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission Lam Chea noted at a press conference after the meeting that Cambodia had proposed that the two countries jointly bring the disputes in these four sensitive areas before the International Court of Justice or ICJ.

He reaffirmed Cambodia's position to begin legal proceedings independently, despite Thailand’s rejection of the ICJ’s jurisdiction.

Lam Chea reiterated Cambodia’s adherence to pacifism and its aim to establish a border of peace, friendship and cooperation with Thailand.

The Thai Foreign Ministry has previously stressed it prefers to settle the disputes through bilateral mechanisms.

"The discussions proceeded smoothly in a cordial setting, while the Co-Chairs expressed appreciation to one another as the meeting concluded successfully. The meeting is regarded as another important milestone to illustrate progress of Thailand-Cambodia demarcation along the approximately 800-kilometer border and reduce border tension," said a statement by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It also said that both sides will continue discussions and joint implementation accordingly, with Thailand hosting the next JBC meeting in September this year.

Thailand and Cambodia currently have three levels of cooperation mechanisms on border issues. Apart from JBC, there is also the General Border Committee - a high-level bilateral mechanism on security with both Ministers of Defense as Co-Chairs to discuss ways to determine appropriate approaches and measures to promote cooperation, as well as maintain peace and security in the border areas of both countries.

Moreover, there is also the Regional Border Committee - a bilateral military mechanism to discuss local issues of management and development in order to address any border challenges with both military Regional Commanders, and the equivalent, as Co-Chairs.