(Phnom Penh): Cambodia has appointed two prominent international legal experts to serve on the compulsory conciliation commission under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while Thailand has been given 21 days to nominate its own representatives, according to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Chan Ratana.

The spokesperson added that if Thailand fails to appoint its representatives within the specified timeframe, the United Nations will make the appointments on its behalf.

The announcement followed a meeting in Phnom Penh on June 2 between Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and representatives of 47 diplomatic missions and international organisations.

Cambodia formally notified both Thailand and the United Nations Secretary General on June 2 of its decision to initiate compulsory conciliation proceedings under UNCLOS over overlapping maritime claims.

According to unofficial sources, Cambodia selected Danish diplomat and international law expert Peter Taksoe-Jensenand Professor Jean-Marc Thouvenin for the commission.

Peter Taksoe-Jensen previously chaired the UNCLOS Conciliation Commission that helped resolve the maritime dispute between Australia and Timor-Leste from 2016 to 2018, while Jean-Marc Thouvenin has served in multiple cases before the International Court of Justice.

Chan Ratana stated that once fully constituted, the commission will guide efforts to resolve the Cambodia–Thailand maritime dispute through a structured international conciliation process.

Cambodia turned to the UNCLOS mechanism after Thailand’s unilateral withdrawal from the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding, which had previously served as the bilateral framework for maritime negotiations.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet recently underlined that Cambodia’s decision to invoke UNCLOS does not mean abandoning dialogue, but rather moving discussions into an internationally recognised legal framework.
=FRESH NEWS