Thailand will not sign the Joint Declaration with Cambodia at the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, scheduled for October 26–28 and to be attended by US President Donald Trump, unless concrete progress is made in upcoming border talks, Defence Minister Gen Nattaphon Nakpanich said today.
The general identified the border talks as the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting in Chanthaburi province and the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
He said that recent meetings of the GBC and JBC did not make any progress, due to Cambodia’s insincerity and lack of cooperation in resolving the border conflicts through peaceful means, adding that Cambodia has ignored Thailand’s proposal to come up with an action plan to implement Thailand’s four preconditions for peaceful solution.
The preconditions include the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from border areas, cooperation in demining operations, cooperation in the crackdown on transnational scam networks in Cambodia and management of border areas encroached upon by Cambodians.
Gen Nattaphon said the upcoming GBC meeting in Malaysia is a follow-up to the previous meeting on September 10th and, because Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow is already in KL for the 4- party discussion on Thai-Cambodian conflict, including Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and the US, Malaysia suggested the GBC meeting take place in KL.
It would be great if concrete progress is made at the upcoming GBC and JBC meetings, said the defence minister.
If not, he said it would be pointless to hold more meetings under the frameworks, because it would be a waste of taxpayers’ money.
“If, in the end, Cambodia does not cooperate, then whatever happens will happen,” said Gen Nattaphon, adding it will not matter whether the Joint Declaration is signed or not “because we have tried our best through peaceful means and in line with international standards.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said he is optimistic that there will be progress at the GBC and JBC talks and that the Joint Declaration, outlining the relations between Thailand and Cambodia going forward, is expected to be signed at the summit in Kuala Lumpur.
