Thailand and Cambodia have begun United Nations-backed talks to resolve a long-running maritime boundary dispute over a 26,000-square-kilometre area in the Gulf of Thailand.
The foreign ministers of the two countries, Sihasak Phuangketkeow of Thailand and Prak Sokhonn of Cambodia, exchanged opening statements Tuesday at the first meeting of a five-member conciliation commission in Singapore under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS.
The disputed waters are estimated to hold nearly 12 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and large quantities of oil, with the resources valued at about $300 billion.
The overlapping claims have remained unresolved for more than 25 years, preventing the countries from fully developing the area’s energy potential.
Cambodia triggered the UNCLOS process in June after Thailand terminated a 2001 memorandum of understanding that provided a framework for resolving the overlapping maritime claims.
Thailand said the agreement had produced no concrete progress, with only five rounds of talks held over more than two decades.
The dispute has also emerged amid a sharp deterioration in relations between the neighbours following deadly clashes along their land border last year.
Fighting broke out in July and again in December, killing civilians and soldiers and displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
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A ceasefire agreed in late December halted the worst of the fighting, but tensions remain high, with military forces still deployed along parts of the border and sporadic incidents continuing.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said Phnom Penh was seeking a peaceful settlement that would serve both countries and promote regional cooperation and prosperity.
He said Cambodia turned to UNCLOS in keeping with its commitment to international law and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
Thailand, however, maintains that the maritime issue should primarily be resolved through bilateral negotiations. Sihasak said Bangkok remained committed to international law and peaceful settlement, adding that Thailand had offered Cambodia an opportunity for direct talks before the latter initiated the UNCLOS process.
He said Thailand was prepared to participate constructively in the conciliation process and seek a negotiated and equitable solution.
Cambodia is seeking an agreement establishing a maritime boundary between the countries. Alternatively, it has proposed joint development and equitable sharing of resources in the disputed waters.
The UNCLOS conciliation process does not produce a binding ruling. Instead, the commission examines the positions of both sides and issues recommendations aimed at helping them reach an amicable settlement.
Thailand has historically opposed having territorial disputes with Cambodia decided by third parties. Tensions were heightened by a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that awarded Cambodia sovereignty over the Preah Vihear temple along their land border.
The Singapore talks offer a new diplomatic channel for addressing the maritime dispute as both countries seek to prevent renewed confrontation and determine how to manage potentially valuable offshore resources.
REUTERS
