Associated Press
AP – Representatives of civic sectors cheer during a protest in front of a UNESCO office on Tuesday, July …
Deadly clashes have flared in the past over the Preah Vihear temple, which the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization named a World Heritage site in 2008, over Thailand's objections.
Two Thai soldiers were killed and 12 wounded in April 2009 after troops exchanged fire with assault rifles and rocket launchers along Cambodia's northern border near the temple, one of several clashes in recent years.
Cambodia will present a management plan in Brazil on the disputed territory at a UNESCO meeting this week.
The International Court of Justice in 1962 ruled the 10th-century border temple belongs to Cambodia, rejecting Thai claims. Cambodia's World Heritage bid reignited Thai resentment over the ruling, and there have been small armed clashes in the area during the past few years.
Thailand claims the management plan would infringe on a small area of undemarcated territory around the temple, of which both sides stake a claim. It has called on UNESCO to reject the plan, and said it will walk out of the meeting if it is accepted. It also said it would consider withdrawing from UNESCO's membership if Cambodia's plan is accepted.
Leaders of both countries have used the issue to stir up nationalist sentiment and shore up domestic political support.
Abhisit met Wednesday with Defense Minister Pravit Wongsuwan, who told him that, pending Cabinet approval, the army is ready to deploy more troops to the already heavily defended border if Cambodian forces intrude into Thai territory.
"The army is now ready to defend our sovereignty if breached," said Abhisit after his weekly Cabinet meeting. He said he was appealing to members of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee "to remember the very purpose this committee was set up for. It should be a purveyor of peace and culture, not of tension and conflicts."
A Thai delegation, led by Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti, is in Brasilia to attend the UNESCO meeting.
"We must make it clear that Thailand cannot and will not accept the proposal," said Abhisit. "And if the committee will not listen to our objection, we will not take part in the voting process."
3 comments:
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization Committee Members should not deter their obligation to do the righteous and honest thing for each nation legitimately. As usual the Thai government and people alike are impeding the process of the UNESCO members to render the legitimate decision that they are under tremendous obligation. The Thailand government and people alike are purposely and illegitimately made claim after claim of the territories and properties of Cambodia, and they knew full well that they are fraudulent claims. They have demonstrated and undermined the decision of The International Court of Justice in 1962 ruled the 10th-century border temple belongs to Cambodia and the Thai have shown the lack of respect to the UNESCO members and the obligation that the UNESCO members have to fulfill their duties. Not to mention, that they always ignored and shown no respect to the Cambodian government and people. Cambodia, just like any other country on this planet, must have the territorial integrity and must respect by neighboring countries. It is just absurd, that they agreed to the temple belongs to Cambodia, but the surrounding area belonging to them, how can anyone built a fixture (building) and have no land surrounding it, our ancestors were much smarter than that. I can only write my comments, requesting our Cambodian government to pursue this matter aggressively and intelligently. And I plead to the UNESCO members to do the right thing for the Cambodian people and for the world, do not have your decision swayed by Thailand's intimidation and threatening. This kind of actions by the Thai must stop at some point.
MORA MAO,
I absolutely agree with you.
Dear lady/gentleman of the Comment Moderators of Khmerization News:
Comment Moderator, please do not allow inappropriate comments to be posted.
It appears that some scumbags posted comments using profanity language, these particular despicable scumbag must be upset with the reality, and lack of the ability to write, read, and understand the English language.
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