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two-day meeting on the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute kicked off Thursday in Bogor, south of Jakarta, focusing on the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).

“There are two key elements we wish to promote [at this meeting]: First, how to ensure the continued cease-fire and the avoidance of armed conflict in the border area,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said on the sidelines of the JBC meeting.

“The [second] focus [is] the deployment of an observer team.”

The meeting, however, failed to commence with the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting. Marty said he hoped a GBC meeting would convene soon.

He also said he believed there would be “a good outcome” on the still suspended plan of the deployment of an Indonesian observer team to the border area after talks with his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong.

Marty said he had also communicated with “my Thai colleague on where we are, and I’m not pessimistic that we can make progress on the observer issue”.

At an Indonesian-brokered ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Jakarta on Feb. 22, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to accept an Indonesian observers team to the disputed border area adjacent to the ancient Khmer Hindu temple of Preah Vihear, where heavy fighting erupted in February.

But more than a month later, the observer team remains in Jakarta and Thailand’s military now says the team’s presence is not needed.

Thai media earlier quoted Thai Army chief Gen. Prayut Chan-O-Cha as saying that the observers were not wanted in the disputed area because it was too dangerous and they would only complicate matters.

Thai media also reported that Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban had voiced support Thursday for Gen. Prayut’s opinion that no third party should be involved in the GBC meeting as it was a bilateral issue.

He said neither Indonesia, in its capacity as ASEAN chair, nor any other country, should meddle in the border committee meeting.

Gen. Prayut said he and other Thai military commanders did not intend to attend the GBC meeting in Bogor proposed by Indonesia and agreed to by Cambodia.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was quoted as saying by Malaysian news agency Bernama that the GBC could not take place as the defense ministries of both countries were still negotiating the proposed meeting.

Thai Defense Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon insisted the JBC meeting should be held first followed by the GBC, adding that he did not want the presence of a third party in the bilateral meeting on the Thai-Cambodia border security issues or the GBC to be held in a country other than Thailand or Cambodia, Bernama reported.

Namhong said Cambodia had accepted Indonesia’s invitation to attend the JBC and GBC meetings, as well as consultative meetings between foreign ministers of Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia.

“Cambodia has accepted immediately the terms of reference for the Indonesian cease-fire observers, but up to now, Thailand has not yet responded,” Cambodian news portal akp.gov.kh reported.

Marty said he had not received news of any changes on Thailand’s position in the matter from the Thai government.