Thursday, September 15, 2011

Pheu Thai petitions Senate to probe Suthep on secret talks with Cambodia

Sept 15, 2011
(MCOT online news)


BANGKOK, Sept 15 - Pheu Thai party spokesman Prompong Nopparit on Thursday petitioned the Senate to investigate claims made by Cambodia regarding secret talks between former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban with his Cambodian counterpart Sok An.

Mr Prompong submitted the document, saying it is not a personal conflict, to Jitipoj Viriyaroj, chairman of the Senate Political Situation Monitoring Committee.

The Phnom Penh Post published a Cambodian National Petroleum Authority (CNPA) statement saying meetings between high ranking officials including Prime Minister Hun Sen, Deputy Minister Sok An, former Thai deputy prime minister Suthep and former defence minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan took place between June 2009 and July 2010, both inside and outside Cambodia, to deal with overlapping claims to the offshore area believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves.

"After this matter went public, over 2,000 people expressed concern and wanted Pheu Thai Party to check and verify the issue," Mr Prompong said.

According to Cambodian premier Hun Sen, secret talks took place three times between Mr Suthep and Mr Sok An.

As Mr Abhisit earlier accused deposed premier Thaksin Shinawara of having secret interests with Cambodia, the CNPA statement said it needed to reveal the truth “to protect the interests of Cambodia and H.E. Thaksin Shinawatra against baseless allegations made on the part of the Democrats.”

Meanwhile, Mr Suthep in early September denied Cambodia's claims and reasserted it was Mr Sok An who had contacted him for unofficial meetings, before an official meeting on maritime demarcation would officially be held.

Mr Jitipoj received the documents and asked for some time for an investigation.

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