Phnom penh: Cambodia has firmly rejected Thailand's assertion that its move to seek compulsory conciliation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has impeded discussions on the Cambodia-Thailand land border. Cambodia emphasized that the issues concerning maritime and land boundaries are governed by distinct legal frameworks and bilateral agreements. According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, a statement released on Monday by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation addressed remarks made by Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sihasak Phuangketkeow. He had claimed that Cambodia's recourse to UNCLOS had effectively 'closed the door' on land border negotiations. The Cambodian spokesperson refuted this claim, clarifying that the UNCLOS proceedings are strictly related to the maritime boundary and do not influence land border delineation. The statement highlighted that UNCLOS is a recognized and peaceful method for res olving maritime disputes, suggesting that its application should reassure rather than alarm a neighbor committed to international law. The Ministry underscored that the UNCLOS process cannot justifiably be used as a reason to halt land boundary demarcation through the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), which was established under the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding and reiterated in the December 27, 2025 ceasefire agreement. The statement also pointed out that Thailand had previously expressed its intention to use UNCLOS to address maritime issues. It noted that Thailand had unilaterally withdrawn from the agreed-upon bilateral framework for maritime negotiations, despite Cambodia's requests otherwise. Cambodia urged Thailand to cease creating excuses for delaying the land boundary demarcation process and to genuinely commit to the agreements made in the 2000 MOU and the 2025 ceasefire. The Ministry expressed that there is no legal or practical reason to further delay progress on the land boundary demarcatio n by the JBC alongside the maritime process under UNCLOS. The spokesperson mentioned that Cambodia's stance has garnered international support, referencing a resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF) on July 11. The resolution reaffirmed support for Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, called for de-escalation, and supported the resumption of the JBC's demarcation work. The statement further urged Thailand to adhere to the 1962 and 2013 judgments of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear, as well as the land boundary delimitation according to the 1904 and 1907 treaties, as reiterated in the 2000 MOU. The Ministry concluded that any indefinite delay in the demarcation process to permanently annex unlawfully occupied Cambodian territories would represent a clear violation of the UN Charter and the ASEAN Charter.