(BangkokPost.com) Monday 27, October 2008
“He (Information Department director-general and Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat) said the Thai side has clear evidence and is ready to clarify all issues relating to the Thai-Cambodian border dispute on any stage.”
CAN THAIS DO IT TO SHOW THEIR SINCERITY?
By Pancha Seila
The “dispute” was created by Thailand’s vicious and orchestrated military invasion and occupation of the Keo Sekha Kiri Swara on July 15, 2008. I strongly believe that the Cambodian government has all the proofs and evidences to show to the world the militarist agenda of Thailand.
The border between the two countries had been delimited by the works of the mixed franco-siamese commission on the delimitation of the boundary line under the 1904 Convention and 1908 Treaty between France, the protectorate power acting for Cambodian interests, and Siam. Only very recently, Thailand behaving the same manner as the Nazis and the Fascists during World War II drew a UNILATERAL MAP including the Cambodian territory in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear. The intention of Thailand is clear: Thailand relies on its military forces to intimidate Cambodia, to create a de-facto presence of Thailand with the invasion and occupation by Thai armed forces, and claim over the Cambodian territory in the area of Preah Vihear as a “disputed area”.
Cambodia does not have dispute with Thailand. Cambodia has complaint against Thailand’s invasion and occupation. Cambodia has complaint against the Thai militarist. Cambodia has complaint against the new Nazi and the new Fascist, which she has thought for so long that they are neighbors and friends. Cambodians negotiate with Thailand to avoid war.
H.E. Futrakul Virasakdi, in a Press Release posted on Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs webpage 14, October 2008 implied that Cambodia must respect Thai Constitution and Thai “constitutional democratic processes” when it comes to International Relations and negotiations between Cambodia and Thailand, which explains how the Administrative Court in Bangkok has the power to annul the 18 June Joint Communique between Cambodia and Thailand. This is absurd.
Thailand government negotiators or Thailand military negotiators, up until now presented only lip services when they talk with their Cambodian counterparts at the negotiation table because Thai negotiators have to get back to Bangkok and ask for the approval of Thai parliament. Thai parliament may or may not endorse it.
It is a Thai “constitutional democratic processes” trick to show off their arrogance with respect to the Cambodians. They meant to say to the Thai people that the Cambodians want negotiations, we don’t, and we have the upper hand because we can say "agreed" or "not agreed" later, while Cambodian negotiators have agreed already.
It would be under fair and equal plain field had the Cambodians send the Thai government officials and Thai military negotiators back to Bangkok to ask for the rights and the authority to come to speak with the Cambodians from the Thai parliament first, before any negotiation has its true meaning and a full character of good international relations between two sovereign states.
Can Thais do it to show their sincerity and mutual respect?
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