| 22 July 2008 |
The 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations failed to resolve a simmering border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand during an emergency meeting Tuesday.
Diplomats said both countries presented their side of the issue during a lunch meeting, but no progress was made.
Diplomats said both countries presented their side of the issue during a lunch meeting, but no progress was made.
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| Thai soldiers enter to a Cambodian Buddhist pagoda, near Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, Cambodia, 22 Jul 2008 |
Cambodia has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to mediate the military standoff with Thailand over disputed territory around a historic temple.
The appeal to the world body Tuesday came a day after talks between top defense officials from Thailand and Cambodia failed to end the stalemate.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for both sides to exercise restraint.
Both countries have voiced willingness to peacefully resolve the territorial dispute.
The dispute centers on ownership of about 4.6 square kilometers of land surrounding the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple. An estimated 4,000 troops are facing off near the ancient Hindu temple.
Tensions flared last week, when Thai soldiers crossed the border to follow three Thai protesters trying to reach the temple. The protesters were detained for illegally entering Cambodia but were later released.
The U.N. cultural organization, UNESCO, recently approved Cambodia's application to name the Preah Vihear temple a World Heritage site. The move renewed a decades-old dispute over who owns the temple and the land around it.
The International Court of Justice granted Cambodia sovereignty over the temple in 1962, but did not rule on which country owns the surrounding land.
The appeal to the world body Tuesday came a day after talks between top defense officials from Thailand and Cambodia failed to end the stalemate.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for both sides to exercise restraint.
Both countries have voiced willingness to peacefully resolve the territorial dispute.
The dispute centers on ownership of about 4.6 square kilometers of land surrounding the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple. An estimated 4,000 troops are facing off near the ancient Hindu temple.
Tensions flared last week, when Thai soldiers crossed the border to follow three Thai protesters trying to reach the temple. The protesters were detained for illegally entering Cambodia but were later released.
The U.N. cultural organization, UNESCO, recently approved Cambodia's application to name the Preah Vihear temple a World Heritage site. The move renewed a decades-old dispute over who owns the temple and the land around it.
The International Court of Justice granted Cambodia sovereignty over the temple in 1962, but did not rule on which country owns the surrounding land.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
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