Australian diplomat and international lawyer Katrina Cooper has been appointed to chair a commission that will hear conciliation proceedings between Thailand and Cambodia over their long-running maritime boundary dispute, under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Thai Foreign Ministry announced Cooper’s appointment on Friday as the fifth conciliator on the Conciliation Commission.
The appointment completes the five-member commission, which is expected to hold its first meeting in September, although the date is yet to be determined, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry.
It said Cooper is among the candidates supported by Thailand and described her as a well-regarded international lawyer with extensive knowledge and experience in international law and negotiations.
She also has considerable experience in diplomacy and international relations, which the ministry said will help her understand the broader context and sensitivities surrounding international disputes.
Cooper previously served as Australia’s ambassador to Mexico and as co-agent for the Australian government in the UNCLOS conciliation proceedings between Australia and Timor-Leste. She served as Australia’s co-agent in those proceedings in 2016 and 2017.
The other four members of the commission were appointed by the two countries.
Thailand appointed Rüdiger Wolfrum and Albert Hoffmann, both internationally recognised experts in the law of the sea and international law.
Cambodia appointed Peter Taksøe-Jensen, a Danish diplomat and former ambassador, and Jean-Marc Thouvenin, a French professor of international law.
One of the key items on the agenda for the commission’s first meeting will be consideration of the Rules of Procedure, which will establish the framework for its work and guide subsequent meetings and proceedings, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Thailand said it is ready to cooperate with and fully support the commission’s work as part of efforts to resolve the maritime dispute with Cambodia peacefully under the UNCLOS framework.
The Thai government and relevant agencies will continue working to safeguard Thailand’s national interests, while engaging in the proceedings on the basis of international law, with the aim of contributing to a sustainable resolution for both countries, said the ministry.
