Kasit defends MoU signed with Phnom Penh [-The bottom line is that Thailand does not know what it agreed with Cambodia!]

3/08/2010
Thanida Tansubhapol and Manop Thip-osod
Bangkok Post

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya is defending the memorandum of understanding signed with Cambodia in 2000 on border issues, saying it does not put Thailand at a disadvantage.

"The MoU is an existing tool and a framework for negotiations on the border problems [with Cambodia]," Mr Kasit said yesterday.

"More importantly, the MoU is vital for the World Heritage Committee in Brazil to understand that the border negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia have not been finalised and are still ongoing. It includes the Preah Vihear temple area."

A government source close to the issue yesterday said if Thailand did not have this memo with Cambodia, then it would have no guidelines to use in their border demarcation talks.

"The MoU has provided the framework for the surveying of and demarcation of the border between the two countries," the source said.

Please click here to read more...