Thursday, September 3, 2009

Thai MPs OK border-mapping

Thursday, 03 September 2009
By Sam Rith
The Phnom Penh Post

THE Thai National Assembly on Wednesday approved solutions to technical and other issues surrounding border demarcation, paving the way for a resumption of the process of mapping the Cambodian-Thai border, a member of the Thai Democrat Party told the Post.
"A majority of parliamentarians approved the reports of the Cambodian-Thai Joint Boundary Commission this morning," said Kraisak Choonhavan, referring to the bilateral body that has met three times since November.
Var Kimhong, Cambodia's top border negotiator, said the minutes of the three meetings touched on issues such as how to demarcate the disputed area around Preah Vihear temple.
"There are many points that the Joint Boundary Commission agreed on, such as measuring major areas like Preah Vihear and other technical issues," Var Kimhong said.
Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said the Cambodian government had received no official notification of the Thai National Assembly's vote, adding that he had only heard of it from Thai news reports.
"Now we can speed up the border-demarcation process," Koy Kuong said.
Kraisak also said he welcomed the news.
"I'm very much looking forward to putting the border issue behind us and returning to good relations," he said.
The two countries have never fully demarcated their 805-kilometre shared border.

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