PHNOM PENH, Aug. 8 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sent letters Sunday to the presidents of the U.N. General Assembly and Security Council to decry a statement Saturday that Thailand is ready to abrogate rulings on the border between the two countries.
On Saturday, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told protesters seeking Thai action to claim an ancient World Heritage-listed temple on the Thai-Cambodian border that he is ready to cancel a memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 on the border and use "diplomatic and military means" to "settle" the issue.
Thailand and Cambodia have disputed ownership of land around the ancient Preah Vihear Hindu temple for years even though the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 the temple is inside Cambodia.
Since the temple was listed as a World heritage in 2008, Thai and Cambodian troops have faced off in the area and deadly skirmishes have erupted on several occasions.
Tension was renewed after Cambodia recently submitted a management plan for the temple that Thailand rejected because Bangkok claims the border area has not been demarcated.
In his letter to the United Nations, Hun Sen reiterated the border dispute had been ruled on in Cambodia's favor by the world court in 1962 and by other bodies on occasions since 1904.
"In violating the judgment of the ICJ, Thailand currently maintains its soldiers in the Keo Sikkhakiri Svara pagoda of Cambodia, situated only about 300 meters from the Temple of Preah Vihear, well inside Cambodian territory," Hun Sen wrote.
By threatening to use military force, Thailand "flagrantly violates" the U.N. Charter, he added.
Promising to avoid force on the Cambodian side, Hun Sen asked General Assembly President Ali Abdussalam Treki and Security Council President Vitaly Churkin to circulate the letter to all U.N. members "for information" on the border dispute.
On Saturday, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told protesters seeking Thai action to claim an ancient World Heritage-listed temple on the Thai-Cambodian border that he is ready to cancel a memorandum of understanding signed in 2000 on the border and use "diplomatic and military means" to "settle" the issue.
Thailand and Cambodia have disputed ownership of land around the ancient Preah Vihear Hindu temple for years even though the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 the temple is inside Cambodia.
Since the temple was listed as a World heritage in 2008, Thai and Cambodian troops have faced off in the area and deadly skirmishes have erupted on several occasions.
Tension was renewed after Cambodia recently submitted a management plan for the temple that Thailand rejected because Bangkok claims the border area has not been demarcated.
In his letter to the United Nations, Hun Sen reiterated the border dispute had been ruled on in Cambodia's favor by the world court in 1962 and by other bodies on occasions since 1904.
"In violating the judgment of the ICJ, Thailand currently maintains its soldiers in the Keo Sikkhakiri Svara pagoda of Cambodia, situated only about 300 meters from the Temple of Preah Vihear, well inside Cambodian territory," Hun Sen wrote.
By threatening to use military force, Thailand "flagrantly violates" the U.N. Charter, he added.
Promising to avoid force on the Cambodian side, Hun Sen asked General Assembly President Ali Abdussalam Treki and Security Council President Vitaly Churkin to circulate the letter to all U.N. members "for information" on the border dispute.
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