Bangkok, Dec 17 (NA) -- Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated on Tuesday the country's official position on the border conflict with Cambodia, maintaining that Phnom Penh must first declare a ceasefire, ensure it is genuine and sustainable, and cooperate seriously in mine clearance tasks. This was stated by the deputy spokeswoman for the Thai Foreign Ministry, Maratee Nalita Andamo, during a press conference in Bangkok, where she emphasized that the government's position 'has been consistent and clear' and has been publicly expressed on repeated occasions by the prime minister, the foreign minister, and official spokespeople. According to the official, Thailand considers it essential that Cambodia make a real commitment to de-escalating the conflict as a prerequisite for moving towards an effective truce in the border area. In this context, Andamo confirmed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, will participate on December 22 in a special meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers, convened to analyze the situation between the two countries. She also indicated that the participation of the other member states of the bloc is in the process of coordination. According to official data released by the Foreign Ministry, this new phase of the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has so far left 17 Thai soldiers and 16 civilians dead, as well as 260,000 displaced persons, figures recorded as of the morning of this Tuesday. IP Thai authorities reiterated their call for a diplomatic solution, though they insisted that any ceasefire agreement must be accompanied by concrete guarantees of compliance and bilateral cooperation, especially in border security matters.
