PHNOM PENH (Cambodia Herald) - Cambodia and Thailand have expressed optimism about joint oil exploration and development in an overlapping maritime zone, saying that it should take place as soon as possible. Yet it could take a decade before the project is realized. While Cambodia hopes that joint exploration and development can start over the next three years, Thailand sees differently.
"It could be eight to 10 years before a single drop of oil and gas comes," Thai Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan was quoted as saying by Reuters on Thursday.
In a briefing with local media in Phnom Penh the same day, Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said that a long process was required before his government could start any negotiations.
Instead of moving forward, joint exploration and development is moving backwards since a memorandum of understanding between Cambodia and Thailand in 2001 was nullified by the previous Thai government which lost power in July.
The new Thai government has the political will to resume negotiations with Cambodia but needs parliamentary approval.
Surapong, the Thai foreign minister, told reporters in Phnom Penh Thursday that Thailand had formed a working group to "review" the MOU and that findings would be forwarded to the Thai cabinet for approval before being sent to the country's parliament.
On his return to Bangkok on Friday after his two-day visit to Cambodia, the Thai foreign minister was quoted as saying that the government in Thailand was considering "reviving" the MOU on maritime borders.
Once revived, the Thai news agency said, "the government could go ahead on negotiations under the framework" of the memo, which was revoked by the previous "Yellow Shirt" government of Abhisit Jejjajiva in 2009.
Analysts say the new "Red Shirt" government led by Yingluck Shinawatra, younger sister of exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has to step carefully.
Surapong dismissed such concern. "Everything has to go through parliament," he said. "The process will be made transparently to the people so we should not be worried about this."
"It could be eight to 10 years before a single drop of oil and gas comes," Thai Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan was quoted as saying by Reuters on Thursday.
In a briefing with local media in Phnom Penh the same day, Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said that a long process was required before his government could start any negotiations.
Instead of moving forward, joint exploration and development is moving backwards since a memorandum of understanding between Cambodia and Thailand in 2001 was nullified by the previous Thai government which lost power in July.
The new Thai government has the political will to resume negotiations with Cambodia but needs parliamentary approval.
Surapong, the Thai foreign minister, told reporters in Phnom Penh Thursday that Thailand had formed a working group to "review" the MOU and that findings would be forwarded to the Thai cabinet for approval before being sent to the country's parliament.
On his return to Bangkok on Friday after his two-day visit to Cambodia, the Thai foreign minister was quoted as saying that the government in Thailand was considering "reviving" the MOU on maritime borders.
Once revived, the Thai news agency said, "the government could go ahead on negotiations under the framework" of the memo, which was revoked by the previous "Yellow Shirt" government of Abhisit Jejjajiva in 2009.
Analysts say the new "Red Shirt" government led by Yingluck Shinawatra, younger sister of exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has to step carefully.
Surapong dismissed such concern. "Everything has to go through parliament," he said. "The process will be made transparently to the people so we should not be worried about this."
0 comments:
Please add comment to express your opinion, and share it on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you in advance.