Posted: 14 August 2010
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 Cambodian soldiers stand guard on the eagle terrace near the Preah Vihear temple | ||||||
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PHNOM PENH - Cambodia's foreign minister on Saturday sought regional help in resolving a border dispute with Thailand in order "to avoid any large scale armed conflict".
In a letter to his Vietnamese counterpart and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Hor Namhong said the two countries would not be able to reach a deal without outside support.
"As the current stalemate has extinguished any hope of further bilateral negotiations and in order to avoid any large scale armed conflict... I earnestly seek assistance," he said in the letter.
The two countries have stepped up a war of words over the spat recently, with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen warning it could lead to fresh bloodshed.
Meanwhile Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva Tuesday called for Cambodian citizens to leave the contested territory.
The neighbouring nations have been locked in a troop standoff at their disputed border since July 2008, when the ancient Preah Vihear temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand. The exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute, with occasional gunfights claiming several lives.
Troops from both countries exchanged fire briefly on their border in June, the latest in a series of clashes between the neighbours.
The Thai-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
In a letter to his Vietnamese counterpart and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Hor Namhong said the two countries would not be able to reach a deal without outside support.
"As the current stalemate has extinguished any hope of further bilateral negotiations and in order to avoid any large scale armed conflict... I earnestly seek assistance," he said in the letter.
The two countries have stepped up a war of words over the spat recently, with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen warning it could lead to fresh bloodshed.
Meanwhile Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva Tuesday called for Cambodian citizens to leave the contested territory.
The neighbouring nations have been locked in a troop standoff at their disputed border since July 2008, when the ancient Preah Vihear temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand. The exact boundary through the surrounding grounds remains in dispute, with occasional gunfights claiming several lives.
Troops from both countries exchanged fire briefly on their border in June, the latest in a series of clashes between the neighbours.
The Thai-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
4 comments:
Ask the UN that's what the world created the UN for to promote peace. ASEAN is a piece of shit can't solve anything.
Asean is a useless group or a cocktail party group created just for the leaders to gather for the annual cocktail party, have a dance, get drunk and come home afterward. The Asean Charter stipulates that every decision involving Asean issues must be based on consensus. Since Thailand is against the idea, Thailand will object to it and nothing will be achieved.
Ask no body, Cambodia. Thailand will make lobby to impose its point of view. Thailand knows that it will lose if any third part comes to the negotiation. Hold in a peaceful bi-national talk, but prepare for a military confrontation and make alliance with powerful nations. Thailand will not win, because it is divided, weak and it does not have legal grounds for its claims.
I wish Chanel New Asia does a bit of research before writing the article.
It keeps saying the World Court ruled that the temple belonged to Cambodia, although the main entrance lies in Thailand.
Actually the verdict stated clearly that the temple is situated in Cambodia territory and ordered Thai soldiers or guards to leave the surrounding area.
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