Photo by: Reuters
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong speaks to reporters during a press briefing following a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Monday.
The United Nations Security Council voiced “grave concern” on Monday about the recent border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand, but said the issue should be dealt with at the bilateral and regional levels.
Cambodia had asked the council to order the deployment of UN observers to the border in order to halt Thailand’s “war of aggression” against Cambodia.
But the 15-nation body made clear in a statement its role would be limited to supporting “bilateral efforts and regional efforts” to negotiate an end to the conflict.
At least 10 people were killed during four days of clashes earlier this month in disputed areas close to Preah Vihear temple.
At least 34 Thais and 55 Cambodians were wounded, according to the two sides. Tensions first erupted in July 2008, when Preah Vihear was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site over Thai objections.
During the closed-door meeting, council members were briefed on the border situation by UN Undersecretary General B Lynn Pascoe and by Indonesian Foreign Minister Mary Natalegawa. Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong also addressed the chamber along with his Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya.
In a statement following the meeting, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Brazil’s ambassador to the UN and current UNSC president, said council members urged both sides to “display maximum restraint and avoid any action that may aggravate the situation”, while continuing to cooperate with ASEAN mediators to resolve the dispute peacefully.
“The members of the Security Council further urged the parties to establish a permanent ceasefire and to implement it fully and resolve the situation peacefully and through effective dialogue,” the statement added.
During his address to the council, Hor Namhong decried Thailand’s “war of aggression” against Cambodia and called for an international solution to the stand-off.
He repeated earlier allegations that Thai forces deployed cluster munitions during the skirmishes, in addition to a range of conventional artillery that fell up to 20 kilometres inside Cambodian territory.
He said six Cambodians were killed and 71 injured in the clashes, adding that two of the dead fell victim to a cluster munition blast, which also injured eight people.
“Even though there were two de facto agreements on a ceasefire, the current situation, however, remains extremely fragile. Fresh fighting may breakout again at any time without forewarning, while heavily armed Thai soldiers, artilleries and tanks have been positioned along the border, posing constant pressure on Cambodia,” Hor Namhong said in his speech to the UNSC.
He said Cambodia supported a “peaceful solution” to the conflict via ASEAN mediation or, failing that, a deployment of UN observers to the area.
In a press briefing following the meeting he said it was regretful that the UNSC would not send observers to guarantee a permanent ceasefire.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said today that the outcome of the UNSC meeting meant Cambodia would not be able to avoid bilateral talks.
“It shows that the international community wants both sides to use bilateral talks to end the conflict,” Thai state media quoted Abhisit as saying.
“Therefore Cambodia has no reason to reject [the talks]. We should return to the talks.”
The ceasefire reportedly got off to a shaky start, however, with Thai army officials claiming one of their soldiers was injured in clashes before dawn today. Cambodian officials denied the report.
“It was a minor clash at the frontline with pistols, wounding one soldier on the Thai side,” said Thai army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd, adding that the soldier was wounded by a grenade.
A spokesman at a Thai hospital in the border area said the wounded soldier appeared to have stepped on a landmine.
The Cambodian government, however, said it was unaware of any clash between the two countries.
One Cambodian soldier based close to Preah Vihear said there had been no fighting.
“I’m staying here 24 hours [a day] but there is no fighting,” said the soldier, who gave his name only as Chamroeun.
“Only Thai soldiers are throwing grenades and Cambodian soldiers do not respond.”
He said the Thai soldier may have been injured by one of his own grenades.
ASEAN foreign ministers are set to address the conflict during a meeting in Jakarta next Tuesday.
Hor Namhong is set to return to Cambodia tomorrow. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY REUTERS
7 comments:
This how the UN retaliate Cambodia cus at the beganning of the conflicts and other issues that hun sen always said it's our internal affair do not interfere in our domestic problems like sending back asylum to china, closing refugee camp of the Christian megtnord from Vietnam,etc.... But when it come to Khmer krom, Khmer workers in Thai and Malaysia of slavery and abuse, they said nothing!???!!! Wake up Khmers, no one can help us if we can not help ourselves!!!!!! So I ask all Khmers. How do we help ourselves????? No,Thai or Vietnam, we do not want to give our pussy away!! We want better advise than that!!!!thank you.
If we have a good leader we will win in every situation. Singapoor is the size of Phom Phen and only has 5 millions people why Singapoor far far stronger than Cambodia and every country respect Singapoor. Why dose Singapoor has over 2 billion dollars US spend for her military per years? Think all cambodians! Think! It is all about leader!
This war is to wipe out Hun Sen regime only. Cambodia army also sick of Hun Sen regime. The world is so sick of Hun Sen regimes. Cambodian army are planing to wipe out Hun Sen regime.
Why do Kos Trol, sea and lands proximately over 10 000 km2 have been lost to Vietnam by who treaty? Why don't Cambodia goverment transparency explain to cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian army are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 and what's about over 10 000km2 of cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian army you are decide the fade of your nation, Cambodian army as well as cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Kos Trol, Sea and lands over 10 000km2 have been lost to Vietnam by who treaty at 1979 to 1985 treaty! treaty! Cambodian army at front line as well as all cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protect a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group rather in the real name of protecting khmer nation?
Cambodian army at front line suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs,lack of foods, lack of nutrition, their families have no health care help, no securities after they die but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning with young girls message, have super health care from oversea medical treatment, they are billionairs, millionairs who sell out the country to be rich and make cambodian people suffer everyday as cambodian people know already.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that result lost over 10 000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why don't they transparency inform all Cambodian and cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't include Kos Trol ( Kos Trol size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen with planty of natural resources ) in education program?
Hun Sen has over $ 1000 billion American dollar. ( Sell forest, lands,diamonds mine ).
He has 10 000 tonnes of gold ( Khmer Gold ).
That are about money has not yet register with the world bank.
He use for his dynasty power at Cambodia.
Stop critised Cambodian teen about Valentine's day! Let's make love not war!
Sex is normal in this world that is part of biological and physiological being.
Boys and girls are equal right. If they have sex both boys and girls get the same pleasure and benefit.
Angkor's people are have sex more than today such as they respect Hindu God's penis and his wife 's vagina.
Boya and girls please have more sex at school to increase experince in life rather listen to your elderly teacher who always have sex at night with her partners.
Trust me all cambodians elderly are having sexual intercourse everyday. Stop listening to their lia words about sex!
We are cambodian teenagers to like to protest again elderly who stop us from making love at Valentin's day. We must have sex when we are young age, not when we are getting so old because old people can't perform sex well and can't enjoy the pleasure of sex.
Old cambodians stop jeasous to our cambodian teenagers sexual pleasure at valentine's day.
All Cambodian people must stop buying Thai products in all kind. Otherwise, you become a traitor because if thai sell more of their products they have more money to buy weapon to kill khmer!
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