By Ek Tha
Press and Quick Reaction Unit
PHNOM PEN, July 27, 2012 (PRU) – Deputy Prime Minister His
Excellency Dr. Sok An said on Friday that Cambodia’s position wants to reach
the joint development proposal on the OCA for the benefit of the two countries
while the Head of 25-member delegation
of Thai Senate, H.E. Suradet Jiratiticharoen, said he will convey the
Cambodia’s message to his government.
His Excellency Dr. Sok An said in the meeting that
Cambodia’s breakthrough proposal for Joint Development Area (JDA) concerning
the OCA with Thailand will benefit the two countries in many ways.
The Cambodia’s proposal of sharing the profit 50:50 from the
joint development of OCA would be a best practice, given many countries used
this approach to solve their issues of OCA.
“Cambodia’s approach would take a couple of years to solve
the OCA issue”, said His Excellency Dr. Sok An, adding that Thais' approach
would take much longer time.
“Both Cambodia and Thailand need the resources of oil and
gas to develop our respective countries, so we should not leave our natural
resources of oil and gas to continue to sleep under the seabed,” Dr. Sok An
said in the meeting.
The OCA is believed by experts that it is rich in natural
resource of oil and gas, said Deputy Prime Minister Sok An who is also chairing
the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority (CNPA).
His Excellency Sok An also said that the two Asian nations
have spent more than 10 years—including a memorandum of understanding on a
proposed joint development signed by Cambodia and Thailand in 2001—an effort to
seek a proper solution; yet no solution has been found since.
Senator Suradet Jiratiticharoen—who is also the Committee
Chairman on energy of Thai Senate—said in the meeting that his legislative body
would support a move of the government of Thailand in solving the OCA issue
with Cambodia.