Cambodia and Thailand Open UN-Backed Maritime Conciliation in Singapore

Foreign ministers of Cambodia and Thailand delivered opening statements in Singapore at the first meeting of a UNCLOS Annex V Conciliation Commission over their overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand -- a roughly 26,000 sq km area believed to hold about 12 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and oil worth an estimated $300 billion. The three-day session (Sept 14-16) follows Cambodia's June move to trigger compulsory conciliation after Thailand terminated the 2001 MOU that had governed maritime talks for 25 years. Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said Cambodia is seeking a single all-purpose maritime boundary treaty, or alternatively a joint development and resource-sharing arrangement, while Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the proceedings are limited to maritime boundary delimitation. The five-member commission, chaired by Australian diplomat Katrina Cooper, has roughly 12 months to draft compromise proposals; the process is non-binding.