Cambodia has no plan to grant oil concessions to private firms in the overlapping marine zone disputed with Thailand: Hor 5 Hong

Cambodia Discusses Oil Concessions in Disputed Area with Thai PM5 August 2009Thai ASEAN News NetworkThe Cambodian Foreign Minister assured Thailand's Prime Minister yesterday that Cambodia has no plan to grant oil concessions to private firms in the overlapping marine zone disputed with Thailand.Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong met with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya at the Government House yesterday, to talk over the oil concession dispute in the overlapping marine zone between Thailand and Cambodia.The discussion came after the media reported that Cambodia had given Total, a French firm, a concession to explore for oil in the disputed area. Hor Namhong has assured the Thai prime minister that Cambodia's position was not to disturb the disputed maritme area claimed by both countries and that Cambodia had no plan to grant any oil concession in the disputed zone to a private company.The Cambodian foreign minister further revealed that he intended to bring up the matter at a Thai-Cambodian Joint Commission meeting today, with expectation that the dispute over the overlapping maritime areas would be resolved.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit said that both countries should also find solutions of the dispute over the Preah Vihear temple and should discuss the situation along Thai-Cambodian border as well as further collaboration between the two countries. Read more!