By Khmerization
Source: DAP News
Prime Minister Hun Sen has (pictured) called for the convening of international conference to help resolve the Cambodian-Thai Preah Vihear border dispute, saying bilateral negotiations had stalled and reached an impasse which only multilateral approach can help break this impasse, reports Deum Ampil.
In a public speech on Monday, Mr. Hun Sen said the Khmer-Thai border dispute may lead to bloodshed saying that only multilateral engagements, with the participation of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean), the UN Security Council and the 19 signatories to the Paris Peace Accords, can help to resolve once and for all the Preah Vihear dispute. "The use of any bilateral mechanism to resolve this border issue has stalled....So, I am appealing for a multilateral participation from Asean, the UN Security Council, all other countries and the signatories to the Paris Peace Accords", he said referring to the 1991 Cambodian peace agreements which all 19 signatories, including Thailand and Vietnam, pledged to respect Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Mr. Hun Sen's call followed the Thai Prime Minister's threat to cancel the 2000 MOU and to use force to evict Cambodian civilians and troops from the 4.6 square kilometres of land claimed by Thailand. After this alleged threat, Mr. Hun Sen fired two letters to the UN Security Council by accusing Thailand of violating the UN Charter and bilateral agreements with Cambodia, saying Cambodia will defend its territory at all cost. "Cambodia will not use force to invade any countries, but Cambodia reserves the rights to use force to defend its territories. Cambodia never knew about the 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping area, there is no overlapping area. And if (Thailand) wants to use force to evict us from the area, please try!", declared Mr. Hun Sen.
Mr. Hun Sen warned that any attempt by Thai troops to dislodge Cambodian troops from the '4.6 square kilometres of land' will result in bloodshed. "This is the hottest issue, not a laughing matter and can also lead to bloodshed", he said.
"It is true that Cambodia is weak, Cambodia is small, but an ant will not let an elephant sleep peacefully and no one in this world has a steel-plated head and if you invade, we will fight, but fight inside our territory", he added.
Mr. Hun Sen blamed the current border tensions on the Thai invasion of the Preah Vihear surrounding areas in 2008. "The tense situations were caused by the Thai invasion (of Preah Vihear areas) on 15th July 2008. Tensions were not caused by the inscription of Preah Vihear temple as a world heritage site", he said.
In response to Thailand's wish to send a deputy PM to meet with meet him, Mr. Hun Sen said a Thai deputy PM must meet a Cambodian deputy PM, not a Cambodian PM and that Cambodia had already assigned Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong to meet with Thai Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban to discuss border issues.
After Cambodia sent two letters to the UN, Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva, in an attempt to soothe the situations, said Mr. Hun Sen misunderstood his comments, by "trying to to portray a bad image of the Thai Government".
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