Cambodia and Thailand Continue Maritime Dispute Talks After First UNCLOS Conciliation Committee Meeting

Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to continue their discussions aimed at resolving their maritime dispute following the conclusion of the first meeting of the Conciliation Committee under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), held in Singapore. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn stated upon his return to Phnom Penh on September 16th that the three-day meeting (September 14th-16th) saw both parties agreeing on and signing the committee's procedures and working conditions. Discussions also covered the format and procedures for future work and subsequent meetings. The first day of the meeting included a joint session between the two parties and the committee, focusing on procedural matters. The second day featured an official opening ceremony with statements from the foreign ministers of both countries. Cambodia outlined the reasons for initiating this compulsory conciliation process, its objectives, and its commitment to international law. The meetings were conducted both in open and closed sessions, allowing both nations to present their respective objectives and positions regarding the disputed maritime boundary. In closed-door sessions, each party met with the committee individually for three hours, during which Cambodia explained the history of the dispute, its arguments, its stance, and its expectations from the conciliation committee. On the morning of the third day, September 16th, both countries and the committee reconvened to focus on the format and agenda for the second meeting, scheduled to take place in The Hague, Netherlands, from October 14th to 18th, 2026. This second meeting is expected to last four and a half days. Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn added that during the three-day meeting, neither Cambodia nor Thailand proposed any additional comments or amendments to the committee's draft press release. On the morning of September 16th, both parties also continued discussions on the draft agenda for the subsequent five meetings.