Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen stated on social media on the 12th that Cambodia will not conduct any bilateral negotiations with Thailand regarding maritime issues.
He said he reminded the government not to engage in any bilateral negotiations with Thailand on maritime issues, but to directly resort to the mechanisms stipulated in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, without the need to wait for any agreement from the Thai side.
He stated that Cambodia regrets Thailand’s annulment of the memorandum of understanding signed in 2001, but also thanked Thailand for helping Cambodia shift to using international mechanisms. Thailand’s unilateral cancellation of the memorandum of understanding dismantled the framework for bilateral negotiations over overlapping maritime interests.
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said on the 5th that Cambodia would initiate the compulsory conciliation procedure under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Thai Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson Rachada stated on the 5th that the Thai Cabinet had decided to abolish a memorandum of understanding with Cambodia concerning overlapping maritime areas between the two countries, and would instead adopt international legal mechanisms under the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in order to better safeguard national interests.