AFTER previously appearing to disagree with Cambodia’s request that observers from US and China be also invited to join the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting as is Malaysia with the talks being held during Aug. 4-7, the Thai Defence Ministry later said all three countries would be invited because not doing so would be perceived as being shady, Amarin TV said this afternoon (Aug. 2).
A source at the Thai Defence Ministry confirmed that acting Defence Minister Gen. Nattapol Nakphanit had now accepted Cambodia’s request to allow observers from these three countries to attend the upcoming GBC meeting but only this one.
Gen. Nattapol had previously appeared to disagree with the presence of observers from US and China as these are bilateral negotiations and a normal mechanism between the two neighbouring countries.
However, it was concurred at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting that refusing their participation would be deemed shady and it was then decided to accept Cambodia’s request to extend invitation to all three countries.
Later RADM Surasan Kongsiri,the Defence Ministry spokesperson, confirmed that Gen. Nattapol had indeed sent a letter agreeing to invite all three countries – US, China and Malaysia – to observe the GBC meeting.
During Aug. 4-6 there will be a meeting of the two countries’ secretariates to prepare information, discussion topics and administrative tasks. The key item on the agenda is resolving the Thai-Cambodian border situation. This will be followed by a meeting of the two countries’ military unit commanders on Aug. 7.
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Top and Front Page: Thai and Cambodian flags. Photo: Amarin TV
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