ASEAN secretary-general cites progress in Thai-Cambodia resolution

The secretary-general of ASEAN said Wednesday that despite having a long way to go before becoming a conflict resolution body, it had made marked progress in the effort to manage the conflicting situation between Thailand and Cambodia.

Surin Pitsuwan said during the ASEAN launch of the World Bank’s World Development Report 2011 that one “must give credit to what ASEAN is trying to do” in regards to the conflict.

“There has never been one single special meeting of the foreign ministers of ASEAN on an issue between states before, ever. We have made history,” he said, referring to the efforts made by Indonesia as the current chair of ASEAN to speak with the two countries.

Surin added that another reason to laud the effort was the fact that the United Nations has given ASEAN the nudge to solve the problem by using its authority.

“There has never been one issue that has gone to the UN and the UN passed it back to ASEAN knowing that ASEAN has those concepts, those mechanisms already in the charter,” he said.

Thailand and Cambodia have been engaged in a conflict in a border area, with the latest clash occurring last month.