Sunday, 28 March 2010

Thai- Cambodian Conflict Will Not Be Discussed At Mekong Summit

via CAAI News Media

HUA HIN, March 27 (Bernama) -- Government leaders who are members of Mekong River Commission (MRC) will not discuss the bilateral conflict between Thailand and Cambodia at the first summit, which will be held at the Thai resort of Hua Hin early next month.

Leaders from Cambodia, Thailand, Lao and Vietnam will attend the summit which scheduled to be held from April 2 to April 5.

Citing Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya on Saturday, Thai News Agency reported that the leaders will focus more on the record low-water levels in the Mekong River, which has impacted agriculture in the member countries.

On the bilateral conflict between Thailand-Cambodia, Kasit said that: " If members of the public want to protest against Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen during the meeting, they could do so but only within the set boundary."

Hun Sen has been at loggerheads with the Thai government especially with his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva, after his government appointed fugitive, ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra as its economic adviser late last year and refused to extradite him to Thailand.

Thaksin, ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2006, was sentenced by Thailand's Supreme Court Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions to a two-year prison term in absentia for having a conflict of interest in Bangkok's Ratchadaphisek land purchase case.

Kasit said he did not want to see a protest against Hun Sen, if it posed an obstacle to the joint development of the Mekong River.

Touching on the current protest against the Abhisit government by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) which is demanding the dissolution of the House and a fresh general election, Kasit said he believed the demonstration would not impact the upcoming summit.

He urged the Thai people to cooperate with neighbouring countries, and said that it would benefit the Thai themselves.

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) is an intergovernment body charged "to promote and co-ordinate sustainable management and development of water and related resources for the countries' mutual benefit and the people's well-being by implementing strategic programmes and activities and providing scientific information and policy advice."

-- BERNAMA

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