By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Published on April 12, 2011
Issue is too sensitive to be resolved at present, NSC's Tawin concedes
Indonesia, as the chair of Asean, is still waiting for an answer from Thailand on sending its observers to the border disputed areas near the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear - while many government officials in Bangkok remain without a consensus on where the observers should be placed.
Thailand is still studying the Indonesia-proposed term of reference (TOR) for the observation, said Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa (pictured).
Marty was in Bangkok yesterday for an informal meeting of Asean foreign ministers in preparation for an East Asia Summit.
Border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia was one issue discussed by the Asean ministers, but no clear solution emerged to settle the dispute.
Indonesia, as requested by the United Nations Security Council, would implement the permanent cease-fire plan between Thailand and Cambodia by dispatching a group of Indonesian observers to the disputed areas.
Phnom Penh said earlier it was ready to welcome the observers and would place them at the border disputed areas near Preah Vihear - but Thailand hesitated to honour the plan saying observers should not be placed in the 4.6 square kilometres area surrounding the Preah Vihear, as it absolutely belongs to Thailand.
Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong earlier expressed his disappointment over the Thai hesitation to receive the observers.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday the Indonesian observers should not be military officers, although they were unarmed.
National Security Council Secretary Tawin Pleansri said Thailand had not yet made a decision on the Indonesian observers since the issue was too sensitive.
"We have a clear stance on not allowing foreign observers to go into the 4.6 square kilometre area (adjacent to the Preah Vihear)," Tawin told reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Thailand and Cambodia have been at loggerheads over the Hindu temple for years. The Preah Vihear, ruled by the International Court of Justice since 1962, is situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia, but Thailand argues the surrounding area belongs to it. Cambodia in turn claims the area is under its sovereignty, creating an overlapping area of 4.6 square kilometres.
The conflict at Preah Vihear led to a military clash in February, which claimed some 10 lives including civilians on both sides. Cambodia brought the issue into discussion with the UN and Asean.
Indonesian foreign minister Marty reaffirmed yesterday the observer team is not a major goal, but just an instrument to ensure stability at the border between Thailand and Cambodia.
Indonesia's concern is based on its role as Asean chair. The situation between the two countries is improving, which made the meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) in Bogor last week possible, he said.
However Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong told Cambodian local media after the Bogor meeting that he considered the JBC meeting a failure as the body could not achieve any significant move toward land boundary demarcation.
The JBC merely looked at some technicalities on the boundary survey - such as the preparing of a technical team to search for border pillars numbered 1 to 23, aerial photos looking for old border posts, and the opening of Stung Bot border crossing in Banteay Meanchey province, he said.
The JBC moved at a snail's pace as Thailand proposed to wait for the approval from its Parliament of the minutes of the JBC meetings in 2008 and 2009, he added.
Indonesia, as the chair of Asean, is still waiting for an answer from Thailand on sending its observers to the border disputed areas near the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear - while many government officials in Bangkok remain without a consensus on where the observers should be placed.
Thailand is still studying the Indonesia-proposed term of reference (TOR) for the observation, said Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa (pictured).
Marty was in Bangkok yesterday for an informal meeting of Asean foreign ministers in preparation for an East Asia Summit.
Border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia was one issue discussed by the Asean ministers, but no clear solution emerged to settle the dispute.
Indonesia, as requested by the United Nations Security Council, would implement the permanent cease-fire plan between Thailand and Cambodia by dispatching a group of Indonesian observers to the disputed areas.
Phnom Penh said earlier it was ready to welcome the observers and would place them at the border disputed areas near Preah Vihear - but Thailand hesitated to honour the plan saying observers should not be placed in the 4.6 square kilometres area surrounding the Preah Vihear, as it absolutely belongs to Thailand.
Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong earlier expressed his disappointment over the Thai hesitation to receive the observers.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday the Indonesian observers should not be military officers, although they were unarmed.
National Security Council Secretary Tawin Pleansri said Thailand had not yet made a decision on the Indonesian observers since the issue was too sensitive.
"We have a clear stance on not allowing foreign observers to go into the 4.6 square kilometre area (adjacent to the Preah Vihear)," Tawin told reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Thailand and Cambodia have been at loggerheads over the Hindu temple for years. The Preah Vihear, ruled by the International Court of Justice since 1962, is situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia, but Thailand argues the surrounding area belongs to it. Cambodia in turn claims the area is under its sovereignty, creating an overlapping area of 4.6 square kilometres.
The conflict at Preah Vihear led to a military clash in February, which claimed some 10 lives including civilians on both sides. Cambodia brought the issue into discussion with the UN and Asean.
Indonesian foreign minister Marty reaffirmed yesterday the observer team is not a major goal, but just an instrument to ensure stability at the border between Thailand and Cambodia.
Indonesia's concern is based on its role as Asean chair. The situation between the two countries is improving, which made the meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) in Bogor last week possible, he said.
However Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong told Cambodian local media after the Bogor meeting that he considered the JBC meeting a failure as the body could not achieve any significant move toward land boundary demarcation.
The JBC merely looked at some technicalities on the boundary survey - such as the preparing of a technical team to search for border pillars numbered 1 to 23, aerial photos looking for old border posts, and the opening of Stung Bot border crossing in Banteay Meanchey province, he said.
The JBC moved at a snail's pace as Thailand proposed to wait for the approval from its Parliament of the minutes of the JBC meetings in 2008 and 2009, he added.
1 comment:
This drama will end without bloodshed is not possible one way or other it inevitable it will be very brutal .
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