Cambodian tanks patrolling the "disputed area" of Sombok Khmum during the fighting on 4th February 2011.PHNOM PENH, Feb. 26 (AP) - (Kyodo)—A five-member Indonesian military team visited the Cambodia- Thai disputed border area on Saturday to pave the way for deployment of Indonesian observers in the region, a senior Cambodian defense official said.
Gen. Neang Phat, vice minister of national defense, told Kyodo News by telephone that the Indonesian advance team visited the ancient Cambodian temple of Preah Vihear and the surrounding area to find a suitable location for deployment, which will be made under an ASEAN- brokered deal.
He said the Indonesians spent several hours in the area and will report back to the Indonesian government, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Cambodia and Thailand agreed during an ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday to invite Indonesia to deploy civilian and military observers to monitor a ceasefire agreement in the border area.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said Indonesia will dispatch two separate teams to Cambodia and Thailand, each consisting of 15 to 20 military personnel and civilians.
Neang Phat said it is unclear when the observers will start their mission but expressed hope that it will be "soon."
The observer mission will be ASEAN's first since 2005 when the regional group and the European Union set up the Aceh Monitoring Mission to oversee disarmament in Indonesia's Aceh Province following a peace agreement between Indonesia and the separatist Free Aceh Movement.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads since 2008 over an area involving 4.6 square kilometers of land near the Indus temple shortly after it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since then several rounds of armed clashes have erupted, the most recent from Feb. 4 to 7. The conflict has left at least 10 people dead, nearly 100 wounded and more than 25,000 people displaced on both sides.
The U.N. Security Council has expressed "grave concern" over the border skirmishes and urged the establishment of a permanent cease- fire.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Gen. Neang Phat, vice minister of national defense, told Kyodo News by telephone that the Indonesian advance team visited the ancient Cambodian temple of Preah Vihear and the surrounding area to find a suitable location for deployment, which will be made under an ASEAN- brokered deal.
He said the Indonesians spent several hours in the area and will report back to the Indonesian government, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Cambodia and Thailand agreed during an ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday to invite Indonesia to deploy civilian and military observers to monitor a ceasefire agreement in the border area.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said Indonesia will dispatch two separate teams to Cambodia and Thailand, each consisting of 15 to 20 military personnel and civilians.
Neang Phat said it is unclear when the observers will start their mission but expressed hope that it will be "soon."
The observer mission will be ASEAN's first since 2005 when the regional group and the European Union set up the Aceh Monitoring Mission to oversee disarmament in Indonesia's Aceh Province following a peace agreement between Indonesia and the separatist Free Aceh Movement.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads since 2008 over an area involving 4.6 square kilometers of land near the Indus temple shortly after it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since then several rounds of armed clashes have erupted, the most recent from Feb. 4 to 7. The conflict has left at least 10 people dead, nearly 100 wounded and more than 25,000 people displaced on both sides.
The U.N. Security Council has expressed "grave concern" over the border skirmishes and urged the establishment of a permanent cease- fire.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
1 comment:
I applaud Indonesian government for playing an active role in reassuring ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand. I would like to see the Indonesian military to position themselves inside the 4.6km so-called "disputed" territory claimed by Thailand. The spineless ASEAN must create a peace keeping forces as a referee to stop any two member nations from beating the living craps out of each other. This is not just pertaining to Thailand and Cambodia, but any ASEAN members who is in future may have to face border issue between neighbors that might result in a clash.
There is no way in hell, Thailand will get all that piece of 4.6km land to itself. At the same time, there is no way in hell Cambodia would allowed itself to lose every inch of that 4.6km to Thailand, after all, it was part of Cambodia land. This "disputed" land was something made up by Thailand as a bargaining chip so to have closer access to Preah Vihear for future invasion of the temple. My suggestion is, just divide up that land into half-half. Thailand and Cambodia would get 2.3km each side. This way everyone should be happy. No fighting over who is getting what. As far as Preah Vihear, Cambodia has every damn right to do what she wants, after all, ICJ had rewarded Preah Vihear to Cambodia in 1962. Thailand need to understand that it had failed to proved that Preah Vihear is Thailand's property. Preah Vihear is in Cambodia's possession. So Thailand needs to stay off the subject of Preah Vihear forever.
I know the ICJ's decision in 1962 greatly upset Thailand, so 2 years later in 1964, Thailand stired up a fight with Cambodia just to keep Cambodia away from having Preah Vihear to herself. I know one thing for sure, Thailand does not like to lose anything to little Cambodia. It will not compromise with Cambodia. It wants every things, the 4.6km and Preah Vihear. That is why it did what it had, to get what it wants, even invading Preah Vihear which Thailand had attempted unsucessfully, at least for now.
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