Manet: Cambodia opts for compulsory conciliation to resolve maritime dispute with Thailand

Priem Minister Hu Manet has released a public message detailing the Kingdom’s response to Thailand’s withdrawal from a maritime dispute resolution MoU. STPM

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Prime Minister Hun Manet has announced that Cambodia has decided to pursue the mechanism of compulsory conciliation under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to seek a peaceful, rules-based resolution to overlapping maritime claims with Thailand, following Bangkok’s unilateral withdrawal from the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding.

In a public message, Manet noted that for more than 25 years, the 2001 MoU had served as the only mutually agreed bilateral framework for addressing overlapping maritime claims, reflecting a spirit of cooperation and goodwill between the two countries.

“It is regretful that Thailand has decided to unilaterally withdraw from this MoU, while Cambodia has consistently prioritised bilateral mechanisms in line with this MoU,” he said.

He noted that Thailand’s withdrawal effectively abandons the sole bilateral agreement that both sides had relied upon for more than two decades in managing maritime disputes.

Under the circumstances, Manet stressed that Cambodia, as a country committed to international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes, “has no choice but to rely on international law”, particularly the compulsory conciliation mechanism provided under UNCLOS.

The prime minister explained that the conciliation mechanism was established under the convention to assist state parties in resolving disputes peacefully, through an independent process that examines the case and offers recommendations in accordance with international law.

Cambodia’s decision, he said, reflects its sincere hope that both countries can reach a fair and lasting solution consistent with international law.

“Such a solution will allow our peoples to live together in peace, stability and harmony,” Manet added.

-Phnom Penh Post-