Mr. Koichiro Matsuura shakes hand with Deputy Prime Minister Sok An during a meeting in Phnom Penh yesterday.By Khmerization
Source: RFA
Cambodia said it will accept bilateral engagements with Thailand only on the condition that the talks are held under Unesco's mediation or the presence and participation of a third party.
Prime Minister Hun Sen had accepted a proposal from Unesco special envoy Koichiro Matsuura during a meeting yesterday to allow bilateral talks with Thailand between Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and his Thai counterpart to resolve the Preah Vihear issue. Cambodia suspended all bilateral talks with Thailand on Preah Vihear and border conflict after many talks had not produced any agreements, but led to further tensions and armed clashes.
Mr. Sok An said Cambodia accepts the Unesco proposal, but there have to be a Unesco presence. "So, we meet in a fruitful manner, not a meeting to allow them to use it as a political consumption to tell the world that it (Thailand) is having a meeting with Cambodia. If like that, there is not need to have a meeting. It is not going to be a meeting like that. We can meet at Unesco headquarter with influential leaders participating, with the participation of Unesco leaders", he said.
Thailand has consistently requested Unesco to de-list Preah Vihear temple from Unesoc's world heritage list, but Unesco has formally rejected the Thai request. The next Unesco meeting will be held in Bahrain this year and Mr. Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodian Council of Ministers, said Cambodia will still submit its Preah Vihear management plan to be approved by the Unesco meeting.
Cambodia said it will accept bilateral engagements with Thailand only on the condition that the talks are held under Unesco's mediation or the presence and participation of a third party.
Prime Minister Hun Sen had accepted a proposal from Unesco special envoy Koichiro Matsuura during a meeting yesterday to allow bilateral talks with Thailand between Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and his Thai counterpart to resolve the Preah Vihear issue. Cambodia suspended all bilateral talks with Thailand on Preah Vihear and border conflict after many talks had not produced any agreements, but led to further tensions and armed clashes.
Mr. Sok An said Cambodia accepts the Unesco proposal, but there have to be a Unesco presence. "So, we meet in a fruitful manner, not a meeting to allow them to use it as a political consumption to tell the world that it (Thailand) is having a meeting with Cambodia. If like that, there is not need to have a meeting. It is not going to be a meeting like that. We can meet at Unesco headquarter with influential leaders participating, with the participation of Unesco leaders", he said.
Thailand has consistently requested Unesco to de-list Preah Vihear temple from Unesoc's world heritage list, but Unesco has formally rejected the Thai request. The next Unesco meeting will be held in Bahrain this year and Mr. Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodian Council of Ministers, said Cambodia will still submit its Preah Vihear management plan to be approved by the Unesco meeting.
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