More Appeals for Thai Approval of Border Agreements

Thursday, 23 December 2010
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

Photo: AP With Cambodian flags flutter on the top of a gate in the background, Thai soldiers guard Aranyaprathet checkpoint in Thailand.

The National Assembly is now urging for its Thai counterpart to approved a series of documents necessary for both sides to move ahead on border demarcation.

National Assembly Ngun Nhel told a Thai parliamentary delegation here on Thursday that the approval of a series of border meeting minutes was crucial for stability between the two countries.

“Through the visit of Thailand’s National Assembly delegation, we would like to urge and to demand the National Assembly of Thailand to approve the minutes of three joint border commission meetings to eliminate the conflict between our two countries and two peoples, so that we can build up a peaceful and friendly border demarcation,” Ngun Nhel said.

Thai parliament has not ruled on the meeting in part due to extreme political instability there. But officials in Phnom Penh have continued to push the Thais to do so.

Earlier this week, the same message was delivered to a delegation led by Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Pirumya and Thai army chief Paryuth Chan-ocha.

Ngun Nhel’s appeal went straight to parliament, with the delegation led by Gittipot Viriyaroj, the head of the foreign affairs committee and chairman of the Thai National Assembly’s Thailand-Cambodia Friendship Group.

Gittipot told reporters on Thursday he would push for approval of the meetings.

“I will try to promote a full border resolution between the two countries,” he said. “Our only purpose is to bring development and progress to our respective countries.”