Staff Correspondent, Dhaka:
Cambodia and Thailand have begun a UN-backed conciliation process aimed at resolving their long-running maritime boundary dispute in the Gulf of Thailand, opening a new diplomatic channel after years of stalled negotiations.
At the first meeting on Tuesday, Cambodian Foreign and International Cooperation Minister Prak Sokhonn said Phnom Penh was seeking a treaty establishing a single, all-purpose maritime boundary with Thailand. Alternatively, Cambodia is prepared to pursue an agreement for joint development and equitable sharing of resources in the disputed waters.
Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said Bangkok was entering the process in good faith and within the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, Thailand has maintained that direct negotiations should have been attempted before resorting to the UN mechanism.
The two countries have overlapping claims over about 26,000 square kilometers of sea, an area believed to contain substantial reserves of natural gas and oil. The potential economic value of the resources has added significance to a dispute that has remained unresolved for more than two decades.
Cambodia and Thailand agreed in 2001 to establish a framework for jointly developing the resources, but Thailand terminated the arrangement in May following tensions linked to deadly border clashes last year.
Cambodia announced in June that it had initiated compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS. The process involves an independent panel examining the dispute and issuing recommendations, although its findings are not legally binding.
The conciliation could provide both sides with a structured diplomatic avenue to address competing claims while keeping resource development and broader bilateral relations in view. Its success, however, will depend on whether Phnom Penh and Bangkok can translate recommendations into a mutually acceptable settlement.
