Setback in Thai deal hurts ties: Australia<\/p>\n
CANBERRA (Reuter): Australia said yesterday its defense links
\nwith Thailand would be damaged if the Thai army stopped an
\nAustralian firm bidding for a major rifle contract because of
\ncriticism from human rights groups.<\/p>\n
Canberra announced last week it supported a bid by a
\ngovernment-owned arms maker to sell rifles to the Thai army,
\ndespite concerns from some Australian human rights groups that
\nthe guns could be re-sold to Khmer Rouge guerrillas in
\nneighboring Cambodia.<\/p>\n
Thailand's army chief Gen. Wimol Wongwanich said on Thursday
\nhis country would not buy defense equipment from Australia
\nbecause of the complaints.<\/p>\n
\"This shows that Canberra cannot control its people from
\nmaking speeches (against Thailand),\" Wimol told reporters.<\/p>\n
\"It would be a major setback in our defense relationship if we
\nwere excluded on what we would regard as peripheral grounds,\"
\nDefense Minister Robert Ray said in a television interview.<\/p>\n
Australia would accept losing the contract if the rifles were
\nseen as unsuitable or too expensive, Ray told Channel Nine's
\nSunday program.<\/p>\n
\"But if it's just on the basis that there has been criticism,
\nnot even by the government, but by certain groups in Australia of
\nThailand's attitude to Cambodia, then we would be a little
\nupset,\" Ray said.<\/p>\n
Disappointed<\/p>\n
The Australian government had yet to confirm that it was going
\nto be shut out of bidding for the contract, Ray said. \"We would
\nbe very disappointed if that was the case.\"<\/p>\n
The government-owned armsmaker Australian Defense Industries
\n(ADI), which supplies the Australian and New Zealand armies with
\nits Austrian-designed Steyr rifle, had planned to bid for the
\ncontract against firms from several other countries.<\/p>\n
Ray said he believed the Steyr rifle was the best in the
\nregion and the Thai contract meant a lot to workers at ADI.
\nDefense sources have estimated the contract to be worth A$130
\nmillion (US$96 million).<\/p>\n
The Cambodian government and United Nations officials have in
\nthe past accused the Thai military of helping Khmer Rouge
\nguerrillas waging a limited campaign against the Phnom Penh
\ngovernment. The Thai government has denied giving the guerrillas
\nany support.<\/p>\n
Ray said Australia accepted that Thailand was trying to stop
\nany aid, either private or government, getting to the Khmer
\nRouge.<\/p>\n
\"Also you should remember there is a heap of weapons in
\nCambodia. They hardly need to go over the border to get them
\nright now,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/setback-in-thai-deal-hurts-ties-australia-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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