Published: 27/11/2009
Bangkok Post
Former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai (pictured) has called on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to make peace overtures to Cambodia to heal relations.
Mr Surakiart yesterday said Mr Abhisit should discuss ways to solve the dispute with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen and urged the two countries not to close the doors on the chance of negotiating to solve the problem.
Trying to begin a conversation is not a loss of face but instead shows maturity, Mr Surakiart told a seminar on Thai-Cambodian relations at Chulalongkorn University.
He said the prime minister should be careful in applying measures to respond to Cambodia and should try to curb nationalist sentiment.
Mr Surakiart added that it was very important to maintain relations in all areas - political, social, economic and security - with Cambodia.
Thailand and Cambodia have gone through a long period of rocky relations and certain mechanisms are needed to address the problem.
He said the two countries must not permit ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra provoke a conflict between them.
Relations took a turn for the worse last month when Hun Sen appointed Thaksin as an economic adviser to Phnom Penh and refused to extradite him to Thailand.
Thailand decided to scrap a memorandum of understanding on a disputed maritime boundary to protest Cambodia's move. This still needs the parliament's approval.
The agreement was signed in 2001 by Mr Surakiart and Senior Cambodian Minister Sok An. Mr Surakiart was foreign minister in the Thaksin administration at the time.
Mr Surakiart suggested the government review and delay its plan to scrap the MoU with Cambodia. Revoking the MoU is not the way to end the problem, he said.
Defence Ministry spokesman Thanathip Sawangsaeng said the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee meeting in Pattaya today will seek ways to promote cross border trade and that border checkpoints will not be closed.
Col Thanathip said the meeting will also focus on joint efforts to draw up a plan to demine areas along the border to pave the way for demarcation of land boundaries.
Former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai (pictured) has called on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to make peace overtures to Cambodia to heal relations.
Mr Surakiart yesterday said Mr Abhisit should discuss ways to solve the dispute with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen and urged the two countries not to close the doors on the chance of negotiating to solve the problem.
Trying to begin a conversation is not a loss of face but instead shows maturity, Mr Surakiart told a seminar on Thai-Cambodian relations at Chulalongkorn University.
He said the prime minister should be careful in applying measures to respond to Cambodia and should try to curb nationalist sentiment.
Mr Surakiart added that it was very important to maintain relations in all areas - political, social, economic and security - with Cambodia.
Thailand and Cambodia have gone through a long period of rocky relations and certain mechanisms are needed to address the problem.
He said the two countries must not permit ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra provoke a conflict between them.
Relations took a turn for the worse last month when Hun Sen appointed Thaksin as an economic adviser to Phnom Penh and refused to extradite him to Thailand.
Thailand decided to scrap a memorandum of understanding on a disputed maritime boundary to protest Cambodia's move. This still needs the parliament's approval.
The agreement was signed in 2001 by Mr Surakiart and Senior Cambodian Minister Sok An. Mr Surakiart was foreign minister in the Thaksin administration at the time.
Mr Surakiart suggested the government review and delay its plan to scrap the MoU with Cambodia. Revoking the MoU is not the way to end the problem, he said.
Defence Ministry spokesman Thanathip Sawangsaeng said the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee meeting in Pattaya today will seek ways to promote cross border trade and that border checkpoints will not be closed.
Col Thanathip said the meeting will also focus on joint efforts to draw up a plan to demine areas along the border to pave the way for demarcation of land boundaries.
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