The House Foreign Affairs Committee has urged the government to stick to the memorandum of understanding, signed in 2001 between Thailand and Cambodia and known as “MoU 44”, as the basis for the forthcoming border talks to settle overlapping areas between the two countries.

The committee chairman, Noppadon Patama, repudiated a news report that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had discussed the overlapping areas with former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen during their recent encounter at Thaksin’s home.

Today, the committee invited representatives of the Energy Ministry, the National Security Council, the Army Survey Department, the Foreign Ministry and PTT Exploration Public Company to a discussion on the overlapping areas in the Gulf of Thailand.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the areas and joint development of the areas are inseparable issues which must be addressed together, based on MoU 44 and through the joint technical committee of the two countries.

Noppadon said that, to date, the joint technical committee has not been formed.

As far as Kut Island, off Trat province, the former foreign minister insists the island is in Thai territory and that the Thai government has refused to recognise Cambodia’s unilateral border demarcation, which has annexed it as part of Cambodian territory.

He insists that, according to MoU 44, Thailand has not recognised Cambodia’s claim of ownership over the island, adding that MoU 44 is just a tool to be used in settling border dispute.

He admitted that he has no idea whether the border issues will be settled within the life of the current administration, noting that the most important goal is settling the problem with both sides benefitting, but without affecting the borders of either nation.

Regarding the visit to Cambodia, tentatively in March, by Pheu Thai party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, at the invitation of Hun Sen, Noppadon said that the trip is intended to cement the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia further, adding that he does not believe that the border problem will be on the agenda.

While admitting that the overlapping areas are very difficult issues to resolve, and have dragged on for more than two decades, Noppadon said he hopes the two countries will continue the talks and produce a solution which is mutually beneficial.