Hun Sen said he regretted that Thailand had yet to sign the acceptance letter to put into effect Indonesia`s Terms of References.
The Cambodian head of government also regretted conditions that Thailand required for resolving the deadly dispute.
"According to the latest condition, Thailand requires Cambodia to withdraw her troops and population from her own territory," Hun Sen said at the summit chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
In resolving the border dispute, Hun Sen called on the ASEAN leaders to support and find necessary measures to enable all parties concerned to cooperate and accept the observers from Indonesia.
The deployment of observers from Indonesia as the ASEAN chair to the border area was meant to monitor the ceasefire agreed on at the ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministers` Meeting in February 2011 and according to the mandate of the United Nations Security Council, he said.
ASEAN`s prestige and credibility will be at high risk if the efforts to establish a permanent ceasefire will not be materialized as planned.
In response to this border dispute problem, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in his speech said his country recognized well that any conflict between ASEAN member states could undermine ASEAN`s community-building efforts.
Therefore, he said Thailand had no intention to engage in any conflict with neighbors and countries in the region.
"It is simply not true that the bilateral process is not working. I am frustrated too, as may be Prime Minister Hun Sen."
Regarding the TOR on the deployment of Indonesian observers to the border area, he said that the Thai cabinet had approved the text of the TOR.
"But we have concerns, if observers are to be sent, there must be good faith shown by Cambodia to respect the 2000 MoU which stated that there would be no movement of troops and people into this (conflicted) area," he said.
He also expressed warm welcome to ASEAN`s intention to facilitate the peace process between Thailand and Cambodia. "There are some technical issues to be addressed. If there is good faith, then our house can be set in order," he said.
Earlier, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa confirmed the good news after holding separate meetings with Cambodia`s Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong and his Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya on the sidelines of the 18th ASEAN Summit at the Jakarta Convention Center.
"I am pleased to inform you that both Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to the Terms of Reference (TOR) proposed by Indonesia including the possibility of sending an independent observers team to the disputed area. Cambodia has sent a diplomatic note to us confirming their agreement to the TOR while Thailand through its foreign minister had also confirmed the same agreement," said the minister.
However, Marty noted that the main focus now was to create a conducive situation in the border area. He emphasized the need to soon realize the deployment of Indonesian observers in the border on the consideration that it will symbolically induce a sense of trust between Cambodia and Thailand while also preventing more conflict between the two parties.
As to Cambodia`s refusal to withdraw its military troops as what Thailand had asked before agreeing the TOR, Marty said the issue could be discussed later in the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) forum which he hoped will be realized soon.
"What matters now is for Thailand and Cambodia to create a conducive situation in their border area," he said.
Marty said any delay in the dispatch of the team would create negative impact on the peace efforts. "The postponement would enable the outbreak of fresh conflicts in the border areas. We want to prevent this. That is why we need an independent observer team in the border," the foreign minister said.
He said that the team members would not be too big, only 15 observers inside the Thai area and 15 others inside the Cambodian area.
To discuss the Thai request, Indonesia as the ASEAN chair for 2011 would sit again together with the Thai and Cambodian delegates in a couple of days ahead.
Cambodia and Thailand had a border conflict just a week after Cambodia`s Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.
The conflict erupted after Thailand laid claim to 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of shrubs next to the temple.
The exchange of artillery fire that ensued killed and wounded many soldiers and civilians on both sides, and caused tens of thousands of the two countries` villagers nearby the disputed area to flee to safe shelters. (*)
A051/HAJM/H-YH
Reporter: Amie Fen
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
