Human rights group says Myanmar chairing ASEAN would turn the grouping into a 'laughingstock'

6/05/2011
Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post

Cambodia would not withdraw its troop from its own territory and was still waiting for Thailand's agreement on the Jakarta-prepared term of reference (TOR), said Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong after emerging from the 30-minute talks with the Asean chairman, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, at the Jakarta Convention Centre on Friday.

Mr Hor Nam Hong said the problem of the border conflicts clearly remained on the willingness of Thailand to agree with the deployment of Indonesian observers’ TOR.

"Cambodia has already exchanged letter of acceptance to Indonesia's proposed TOR on May 2 and we hope Thailand do likewise," said the Cambodian minister.

He thanked Mr Natalegawa on his efforts to address the border conflict and look forward to see such a deployment.

Mr Natalegawa also thanked Cambodia for the formal agreement of the term of reference which Indonesia has proposed at the special foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta, right after the meeting at the United Nations in New York. The UN General Assembly has tasked Indonesia to help facilitate the border solution of the regional partners of Asean as Jakarta was the current chair this year. Cambodia would take the annual alternate chairmanship next year.

Thailand has lobbied for a bilateral meeting during the 18th Asean summit, however, Cambodia was not interested in either meetings between foreign ministers or prime ministers, diplomatic sources said.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen is arriving today. Possibly, he would speak about the border disputes when the summit begins tomorrow (7) due to the alphabetical order of the summit seating, sources said.

Diplomatic sources said Phnom Penh was taking beyond-Asean strategy, however, they wanted to show goodwill about possible option of the trilateral meeting at the sideline of the summit here to save the face of Jakarta, who has been embarrassed due to Thailand's military no-show at last month meeting in Jakarta.

Cambodia, sources said, was looking forward to the 30-31 May hearing at the International Court of Justice in the Hague on the Preah Vihear disputes.

The Asean chairman said before meeting with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya at 12.30 that he hoped trilateral meeting could be held later today.

Cambodia has agreed with the three proposed locations Ta Sem, Chak Chreng and Pram Makara for the deployment of Indonesian observers on its side, while the Thai cabinet agreed on Wednesday to accept Indonesian observers to Cambodian-Thai border on conditions that there would not be foreign troops on the disputes territory including at Svay Chhrum.