PHNOM PENH, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia, the rotating ASEAN chair, has proposed meetings of Cambodian-Thai defense ministers and border chiefs on March 24-25 in Bogor, Indonesia, said Koy Kuong, the spokesman for Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on Tuesday.
Koy Kuong said that Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa on Monday sent a letter to propose the meetings of Cambodia-Thai General Border Committee (GBC) and Joint Border Committee on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC) in Bogor.
"This morning, His Excellency Hor Namhong (Cambodian Foreign Minister) has already replied to the meeting proposal, Cambodia agreed with the proposed schedule," he said.
"In the letter to Marty M. Natalegawa, Hor Namhong wrote that the meetings must be with the presence of ASEAN chair or representative -- at least at the opening of the meetings," said Koy Kuong. "And when the meetings are wrapped up, Cambodia and Thailand have to report to ASEAN chair on the results of the meetings."
"Cambodia hopes that Thailand will also agree with the meeting proposal," he added.
The border between Thailand and Cambodia has never been completely demarcated.
Although the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the Temple of Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, the row over the 4.6-square-km territory around the temple has never been resolved.
The conflict has occurred just a week after Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. Since then both sides have built up military forces along the border, and periodic clashes happened, resulting in the casualties of troops on both sides.
The latest clashes on Feb. 4-7, unleashed a barrage of artillery shells on both sides of the border, have killed and wounded many soldiers and citizens, and caused tens of thousands of the two countries' villagers near the disputed areas to flee.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Editor: Xiong Tong
Koy Kuong said that Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa on Monday sent a letter to propose the meetings of Cambodia-Thai General Border Committee (GBC) and Joint Border Committee on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC) in Bogor.
"This morning, His Excellency Hor Namhong (Cambodian Foreign Minister) has already replied to the meeting proposal, Cambodia agreed with the proposed schedule," he said.
"In the letter to Marty M. Natalegawa, Hor Namhong wrote that the meetings must be with the presence of ASEAN chair or representative -- at least at the opening of the meetings," said Koy Kuong. "And when the meetings are wrapped up, Cambodia and Thailand have to report to ASEAN chair on the results of the meetings."
"Cambodia hopes that Thailand will also agree with the meeting proposal," he added.
The border between Thailand and Cambodia has never been completely demarcated.
Although the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the Temple of Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, the row over the 4.6-square-km territory around the temple has never been resolved.
The conflict has occurred just a week after Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. Since then both sides have built up military forces along the border, and periodic clashes happened, resulting in the casualties of troops on both sides.
The latest clashes on Feb. 4-7, unleashed a barrage of artillery shells on both sides of the border, have killed and wounded many soldiers and citizens, and caused tens of thousands of the two countries' villagers near the disputed areas to flee.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Editor: Xiong Tong
7 comments:
Very smart moved by PM Hun Sen! I fully support him 100%, from now on if Thailand want to resolve the border issues, they must go through ASEAN! Cambodia noly talk with Thailand on economy, business investments, tourists...that's it!!
Good moved sir!
correction= Cambodia only talk with Thailand on Business Investments, Economy, Tourists...Money making...that's It!!!! Border issues must have ASEAN in the meeting!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, you Thai people kept flip flop and lied for the past two years....So??? We don't trust your Ass anymore!!!!!!!!
Thailand alway said, they want to bilateral talk with Cambodia, but Thailand kept breaking their promise and flip flop, sign with hand, erase with Foot? Its good that Cambodia decide to have third party involve...from now on! Because we can't trust Thailand anymore....
It is annoying when foreign press keep saying the dispute territory of 4.6sq km. There is no such thing as "4.6sq km" It's a total fabrication of the Siem thieves. Prior to the invasion of "2008" There was no mention of dispute territory. Why now. Keep the damn internal conflict in your God forsaken country. And leave us peaceful Cambodian alone. Why don't they say the ICJ ruled in favor of Cambodia in 1962 and now Thai wants to overturn it.
Cambodia talk to Thailand only with business investments, economy, tourists, if Thailand want to talk about 4.6km, they must ask Asean or talk to Asean!
What's new? ah siem or thai play the same game with khmer 2 years ago.
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