Indonesia kicks off tripartite talk on Thai-Cambodia border row

Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (L) called a tripartite meeting with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (middle) and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) on 7th May, 2011.

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Jakarta

Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called a tripartite meeting with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to discuss border conflict between the two Asean members.

The meeting produced no breakthrough to settle the border dispute between the two conflicting neighbor but would kept the Indonesia facilitated peace process to go on, said Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn.

They assigned foreign ministers of the three countries to carry on the task in order to establish permanent cease-fire in the border area, he said.

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa is working out to have another meeting with Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on the side line of the Asean meeting.

Thailand and Cambodia are at the loggerhead of border conflict for long time. A major military clash erupted in February at the Preah Vihear temple's vicinity and the skirmish expanded to other areas near Ta Mouan Thom and Ta Kwai in Surin province. The clash killed tens of soldiers and civilians as well as displaced thousands of people in border areas.