Thai PM: Too soon to hold talks on ceasefire agreement with Cambodia

BANGKOK, Feb 17 (MCOT online news) – As Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said he would ask Thailand to sign a permanent ceasefire agreement in the upcoming regional foreign ministers meeting, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday said it is too soon to talk about it as Thailand was not the party which opened fire.

The Thai premier made the statement after his Cambodian counterpart said earlier in Phnom Penh that he would request the signing of a permanent ceasefire agreement with Thailand with ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) or the ASEAN chair, witnessing the signing.

The ASEAN foreign ministers meeting is scheduled to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia on Feb 22.

Mr Abhisit said Cambodia’s proposed ceasefire agreement is still unclear and Thailand did not begin the fighting, but only retaliated appropriately when Thai troops were attacked by its neighbour’s armed forces.

In response to Mr Hun Sen’s statement that he adhered to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) regarding the ceasefire and bilateral talks with ASEAN observers, the Thai premier said the proposal is not different from that of ASEAN which earlier said the dialogue is a matter of the two sides but the regional grouping is ready to play a supporting role for the talk without getting involved in the details of the discussions.

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