Thai-Cambodian GBC secretariats meet in KL to repare for Border Talks

The secretariat of the Thai General Border Committee (GBC) and its Cambodian counterpart are meeting in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur from today until Wednesday. They will discuss the framework and issues for the main GBC meeting, scheduled for Thursday at the same venue.

The Thai secretariat comprises representatives of the Foreign Ministry, the National Security Council, the Defence Ministry, the three armed forces, the First and Second Army Regions and the military attachés at the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh.

Thai Deputy Defence Minister Nattaphon Nakpanich held talks with Cambodia’s Defence Minister Tea Seiha yesterday, via video conference, with Malaysian defence minister and the commander of the Malaysian armed forces also attending.

That discussion was a crucial part of the preparations for the Thursday’s talks on resolving the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.

A Thai security source said that the Thai side will propose a number of issues to be discussed on Thursday, among them are alleged violations of the ceasefire agreement by Cambodian forces and the movement and reinforcement of Cambodian forces along the Thai-Cambodian border.

It is hoped that the meeting this week, which is brokered by Malaysia, will produce some tangible results, said the source.

General Nattaphon will head the Thai delegation at the GBC meeting.