the 1907 map, which was used in the court case in 1962 in which Cambodia won the ownership of the Preah Vihear temple from Thailand, shows that the Preah Vihear temple and the sites of the clashes (red spots) on 15th October took place deep inside Khmer territories. Radio Free Asia
By Mondul Keo
20th November, 2008
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization
Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 20th November has issued a diplomatic reply to an aide-memoir of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand which accused Cambodia of violating Thailand’s territorial integrity.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy PM Hor Namhong has told local and international media, after he summoned the Thai ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that Thailand is creating an issue with Cambodia after it’s recent unsuccessful attempt to block the listing of the Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List.
Mr. Hor Namhong added that all the Thai allegations are baseless. He said: “We have used 1:50,000 scale maps that the Khmer-Thai Technical Team had used to search for the 73 pillars along the borders. We based everything on those documents and we have told Thailand that those areas are located inside Khmer territories and we also told Thailand that, those areas were under Cambodian control since 1907, when those maps were produced. Only since the 15th of July, after Unesco has approved the listing of the Preah Vihear temple, that Thailand has raised one issue after another.”
Please note that, on the 7th of November, 2008, Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent an aide-memoir to Cambodia claiming that a number of buildings in Poipet have been constructed on Thai territory. And on the 12th and 13th of November, the Thai Foreign Ministry has sent two aide-memoirs to Cambodia to protest against the raising of Cambodian flags, World Heritage flags and Unesco flags in Preah Vihear temple. Thailand has also protested Cambodia’s holding of a Kathen Ceremony inside Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak.
Mr. Hor Namhong said: “I have to tell you that I also don’t understand (why the Thai protested). This afternoon I told the Thai ambassador that, in the future, if Thailand wants to send a letter of protest, Thailand must examine the legal documents and maps clearly first before lodging the protest so that we won’t be wasting our time to reply. This is the first thing I told him. Secondly, because both sides have agreed to resolve the issue peacefully and cordially, we must allow the atmosphere to calm down in order to facilitate the peaceful negotiations. Please do not lodge a protest, one after another without any reasons and without any basis.”
Despite all of the wrangling, Deputy PM Hor Namhong still consider that complaining to the United Nations regarding the Khmer-Thai border disputes is the last resort.//
By Mondul Keo
20th November, 2008
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization
Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 20th November has issued a diplomatic reply to an aide-memoir of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand which accused Cambodia of violating Thailand’s territorial integrity.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy PM Hor Namhong has told local and international media, after he summoned the Thai ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that Thailand is creating an issue with Cambodia after it’s recent unsuccessful attempt to block the listing of the Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List.
Mr. Hor Namhong added that all the Thai allegations are baseless. He said: “We have used 1:50,000 scale maps that the Khmer-Thai Technical Team had used to search for the 73 pillars along the borders. We based everything on those documents and we have told Thailand that those areas are located inside Khmer territories and we also told Thailand that, those areas were under Cambodian control since 1907, when those maps were produced. Only since the 15th of July, after Unesco has approved the listing of the Preah Vihear temple, that Thailand has raised one issue after another.”
Please note that, on the 7th of November, 2008, Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent an aide-memoir to Cambodia claiming that a number of buildings in Poipet have been constructed on Thai territory. And on the 12th and 13th of November, the Thai Foreign Ministry has sent two aide-memoirs to Cambodia to protest against the raising of Cambodian flags, World Heritage flags and Unesco flags in Preah Vihear temple. Thailand has also protested Cambodia’s holding of a Kathen Ceremony inside Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak.
Mr. Hor Namhong said: “I have to tell you that I also don’t understand (why the Thai protested). This afternoon I told the Thai ambassador that, in the future, if Thailand wants to send a letter of protest, Thailand must examine the legal documents and maps clearly first before lodging the protest so that we won’t be wasting our time to reply. This is the first thing I told him. Secondly, because both sides have agreed to resolve the issue peacefully and cordially, we must allow the atmosphere to calm down in order to facilitate the peaceful negotiations. Please do not lodge a protest, one after another without any reasons and without any basis.”
Despite all of the wrangling, Deputy PM Hor Namhong still consider that complaining to the United Nations regarding the Khmer-Thai border disputes is the last resort.//
1 comment:
Cambodia must be strong with Thailand. Please be firm and don't allow them to bully us. These lands are Khmer territories. We must fight to get all these lands.
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