O'Smach-Chong Chorm border checkpoint.By The Nation
Published on May 6, 2011
Indonesian observers will be allowed if Phnom Penh troops, citizens retreat
Thailand is throwing the ball back at Indonesia and Cambodia over the plan to deploy Indonesian observers in the disputed border area by making it a precondition that Cambodia pull out its troops and civilians first.
"I don't know if Cambodia will agree to this," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday, "But Indonesia should raise and discuss this issue with Cambodia".
Earlier, Thailand was blamed for dragging its feet in the planned deployment.
Abhisit yesterday said his government would not sign any document to give the green light for the Indonesian observers to come in for as long as the Cambodia did not agree to move its troops and citizens out of the 4.6squarekilometre overlapping area along Thai - Cambodian borderline.
Abhisit said by allowing its people and soldiers to stay in the overlapping area, Cambodia had violated an important Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries.
The Thai premier added that progresses from Indonesia's talks with Thailand and its talks with Cambodia would determine whether he would discuss the issue at the Asean meetings this weekend.
Abhisit is scheduled to fly to Indonesia this evening to attend the Asean Summit.
According to him, Thailand in fact has no objection against the proposed terms of reference (TOR) for the deployment of Indonesian observers.
Indonesia, the current chair of Asean, has been trying to mediate in the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand. Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said he would meet with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts in Jakarta today to discuss on the ToR on the sidelines of the Asean meetings.
Border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia erupted in the overlapping area near the Preah Vihear Temple last month with casualties reported on both sides. To the two countries, the ancient Hindu temple has been a thorny issue.
Thailand has long maintained that although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 1962 that the Preah Vihear Temple belongs to Cambodia, the ruling does not say its sprawling complex is on the Cambodian soil too.
Thailand was apparently upset when Cambodia unilaterally asked the the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to inscribe the Preah Vihear Temple as a worldheritage on its soil a few years ago. Thailand has also strongly opposed to Cambodia's management plan of the Preah Vihear Temple and its sprawling complex.
Last month, Cambodia went to ICJ asking it to clarify its 1962 ruling. The move prompted the Thai government to quickly form a legal team to handle the issue.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya went to Europe earlier this week to consult foreign legal experts in preparations for the case.
Thailand is throwing the ball back at Indonesia and Cambodia over the plan to deploy Indonesian observers in the disputed border area by making it a precondition that Cambodia pull out its troops and civilians first.
"I don't know if Cambodia will agree to this," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday, "But Indonesia should raise and discuss this issue with Cambodia".
Earlier, Thailand was blamed for dragging its feet in the planned deployment.
Abhisit yesterday said his government would not sign any document to give the green light for the Indonesian observers to come in for as long as the Cambodia did not agree to move its troops and citizens out of the 4.6squarekilometre overlapping area along Thai - Cambodian borderline.
Abhisit said by allowing its people and soldiers to stay in the overlapping area, Cambodia had violated an important Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries.
The Thai premier added that progresses from Indonesia's talks with Thailand and its talks with Cambodia would determine whether he would discuss the issue at the Asean meetings this weekend.
Abhisit is scheduled to fly to Indonesia this evening to attend the Asean Summit.
According to him, Thailand in fact has no objection against the proposed terms of reference (TOR) for the deployment of Indonesian observers.
Indonesia, the current chair of Asean, has been trying to mediate in the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand. Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said he would meet with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts in Jakarta today to discuss on the ToR on the sidelines of the Asean meetings.
Border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia erupted in the overlapping area near the Preah Vihear Temple last month with casualties reported on both sides. To the two countries, the ancient Hindu temple has been a thorny issue.
Thailand has long maintained that although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 1962 that the Preah Vihear Temple belongs to Cambodia, the ruling does not say its sprawling complex is on the Cambodian soil too.
Thailand was apparently upset when Cambodia unilaterally asked the the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to inscribe the Preah Vihear Temple as a worldheritage on its soil a few years ago. Thailand has also strongly opposed to Cambodia's management plan of the Preah Vihear Temple and its sprawling complex.
Last month, Cambodia went to ICJ asking it to clarify its 1962 ruling. The move prompted the Thai government to quickly form a legal team to handle the issue.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya went to Europe earlier this week to consult foreign legal experts in preparations for the case.
4 comments:
It's like if you want to internationalize you must remove your people from your territory.
But, Internationalization or not, for Thailand think, it was there since the UN called for an urgent meeting.
Thailand knows that Cambodia will not withdraw its people from Cambodian territory.
But, anyway since Cambodia already asked for ICJ to revisit the ICJ's rule. There is no point that Cambodia need observers anymore.
It is an easy mechanism: if Thai comes, we fight. Thailand said Cambodia violate the MOU, but in fact Thailand itself violate the MOU. Cambodians lived there centuries ago.
Observers are not important for Cambodia since Cambodia already sent the message to ASEAN that, "you are so weak that I realizes on". Yes, ASEAN is a like a dumpster since Cambodia joined in.
Now, we let UN to do it since he has more muscles compared to the business countries like ASEAN that thinks only their own individual country.
's benefits.
We can't withdraw troops and people from our territory and the let the Thai thieves come and occupy it. We must stay there and protect it at all cost.
The BS of PAD
The People's Alliance for Democracy warns the government against its planned employment of French lawyers in its legal battle with Cambodia in the International Court of Justice.
The group claims that hiring French lawyers will put the country at a disadvantage and cause Thailand to lose sovereignty over the disputed border area.
People's Alliance for Democracy's spokesman Parnthep Puaponngpan said the 2000 memorandum of understanding, or MOU, cannot prevent border clashes as suggested by the prime minister.
He added that the government's indifference to Cambodia's occupation of Thai territory is the cause of the current round of confrontation.
Parnthep suggested the MOU allows Cambodia's invasion of Thai soil.
He stated that the International Court of Justice's, or ICJ, proceeding of the matter does not guarantee that the dispute will end.
Parnthep went on to say the government's closure of evacuation centers was merely a political ploy while it ignored the presence of Cambodian troops in various areas waiting for an opportunity to strike.
The PAD spokesman condemned Cambodia for violating the ceasefire agreement and faulted the Thai government for allowing evacuees to return home although the situation is still volatile.
He cautioned the government against its planned employment of French lawyers for a legal fight with Cambodia in the ICJ and claimed it will cause Thailand to lose more territory as the map which is at the center of the border conflict was actually drawn by France.
Parnthep said the government should not trust that French lawyers will adhere to professional ethics and ignore their country's interests in Cambodia.
If the legal battle is inevitable, Parnthep recommended that international law expert Sompong Sujaritkul for the task.
Meanwhile, PAD coordinator Prapan Khoonmee said the Thai military has failed to protect the country's sovereignty despite its superior military might to Cambodia.
Prapan said Cambodia's occupation of Thai territory also stems from the army's ignorance to carry out its duty.
Post a Comment