BANGKOK: Any deal on overlapping continental shelf claims between Thailand and Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand must be acceptable to the people of the two countries, Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Sangiampongsa (pic) said on Wednesday (Nov 6).
The parliaments of both countries must approve the outcome of the negotiations, based on proposals from their respective cabinets, and must act as representatives of the people to decide whether to endorse the agreement. Additionally, the agreement must comply with international and relevant laws.
"Therefore, it is impossible to negotiate in a way that benefits any individual party, contrary to recent claims," Maris said
Regarding the utilisation of oil in the areas, the minister noted that no activity could proceed until negotiations reach a conclusive agreement that is accepted by both countries. Under MOU44, both "maritime zones" and "joint development" must be negotiated simultaneously and cannot be separated.
He affirmed that if negotiations were successful, the primary beneficiaries must be the nation and the Thai people, who will gain a clearly defined maritime boundary and access to significantly cheaper energy.
In response to calls for the cancellation of MOU44, on the grounds that it allegedly recognises Cambodia's claims and puts Thai territory at risk, Maris clarified that MOU44 does not acknowledge Cambodia's continental shelf claims nor would it lead to any loss of Thai territory. Ko Kut remains entirely under Thai sovereignty, without exception, he said.
The key point of MOU44 is solely an agreement “to negotiate”. The appended map merely illustrates “the respective continental shelf claims of each country” and the lines depicted do not constitute an official maritime boundary, contrary to certain misunderstandings, he explained.
"Maintaining MOU44 is more a benefit than a disadvantage, as this agreement obligates both parties to engage in negotiations on both maritime boundaries and joint development areas simultaneously."
Regarding the 2009 decision by the government to consider cancelling MOU44, with a directive to thoroughly review relevant legal issues before submitting it to the Cabinet and Parliament, Maris explained that during this review process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held discussions, gathering inputs from international legal advisers, affected citizens, and relevant agencies, including those focused on security and legal matters.
This led to the 2014 Cabinet resolution that maintaining MOU 44 would bring more benefits than disadvantages. Importantly, a clearly defined maritime boundary would also facilitate transparent negotiations on petroleum resource utilisation.
"Please rest assured that the negotiations will prioritise Thailand’s sovereignty and the interests of the Thai people, and I affirm that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will operate with the highest level of professionalism," Maris stated. - The Nation/ANN
