PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has imposed the precondition that Thailand re-open the border before any meetings at the military level (RBC) or the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) level can take place, as bilateral relations between the two countries continue to decline, strongly affecting trade ties.
Speaking on Monday (June 23), Prime Minister Hun Manet confirmed that he had instructed the Ministry of National Defence not to hold meetings with Thailand regarding border reopening negotiations until Thailand — whether at the government or military level — reopens the border, which they unilaterally closed.
“If we want to negotiate with the military, the border must be reopened first. Previously, there was an intention to hold a Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting. I have issued a clear directive to the defence ministry: as long as the border remains closed, there will be no official discussions at the RBC or GBC level,” he said.
The RBC is a military-level committee involving regional commanders of both countries, while the GBC is a ministerial-level committee, co-chaired by the defence ministers of both nations, discussing policy, cooperation and security issues along the border.
“To resume negotiations, the first step is to establish appropriate preconditions, meaning rebuilding mutual trust. If we lack trust regarding the border, how can we discuss military matters?” added Manet.
Reiterating his stance, he emphasised that there will be no bilateral negotiations on reopening the border — Thailand closed it, so Thailand must reopen it first. He noted that while the Thai government often expresses a desire to negotiate border reopening, the Thai military continues to keep the border closed.
“The ball is in Thailand’s court. It’s simple to restore the situation to normal. First, reopen the border. Once the border is open, military officials can meet and discuss military matters. It’s straightforward. But right now, the key is with them. If they are genuinely sincere about de-escalation, unlock the door — the key is already in their hands,” he said.
Cambodia-Thailand relations are increasingly fragile, with negative developments unfolding day by day.
In recent days, Thailand has tightened restrictions on cassava imports from Cambodia, following Cambodia’s ban on vegetable and fruit imports from Thailand, in response to Thailand’s unilateral reduction of border crossing hours by its military.
Cambodia has responded with concrete measures to counter Thailand’s various threats, including cutting off the use of Thai internet and electricity services and, on June 22, halting oil and gas imports from Thailand.
Concurrently, both the Thai and Cambodian foreign ministries have advised their citizens to avoid traveling to the neighbouring country unless absolutely necessary.
Last week, the Thai ambassador to Cambodia was recalled to Bangkok by the Thai foreign ministry for consultations.
Meanwhile, the Pheu Thai Party, which leads Thailand’s government in a coalition with other parties, is considering downgrading diplomatic relations between the two countries. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
