A Change of Guard

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Tuesday 10 November 2009

Cabinet revokes Thai-Cambodian MoU


BANGKOK, Nov 10 (TNA) – The Thai Cabinet on Tuesday revoked the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on overlapping maritime boundaries agreed and signed by Thailand and Cambodia in 2001.

Thailand’s decision came after Cambodia appointed ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser and personal adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Convicted Mr Thaksin arrived in Phnom Penh Tuesday morning to begin his first assignment as an economic adviser to the Cambodian government amid a diplomatic row between Thailand and Cambodia.

As proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Cabinet agreed in principle to cancel the MoU as there has been no progress in eight years since it took affect.

The appointment of Thailand’s former premier Thaksin as a high-profile economic adviser by Cambodia will directly impact negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia under the framework of the MOU due to the fact that Mr Thaksin was directly involved in the earlier negotiation process, according to acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn.

The Cabinet directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to review the legal issues as the revocation of the MoU must be forwarded to Parliament for its consideration under Article 190 of the Constitution, which requires the government to seek approval from Parliament before signing an agreement with another country.

He affirmed that the Cabinet has discussed the action with several agencies including the Office of the Council of State, the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) and the ministry's Department of Treaty and Legal Affairs before making the decision.

The cancellation of the MoU will not affect relations between the two countries in other aspects, said the government spokesman.

Asked about Mr Thaksin’s arrival in Cambodia to assume his post as adviser, Dr Panitan said when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can confirm where he is staying, the government will seek his extradition and it will take about two days to finish paper work and submit it to Cambodia.

However, he admitted that the decision to comply with the extradition request depends on the Cambodian government. (TNA)

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