6 May 2011
JAKARTA [AFP]: Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong (pictured) on Friday rejected a Thai demand to withdraw troops from an 11th-century Khmer temple at the disputed border, saying Bangkok was not sincere about peace.
"We never can withdraw our troops from our own territory. That should be very clear," Hor Namhong told reporters after a meeting in Jakarta with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.
The Indonesians are trying to broker a ceasefire and the deployment of neutral military observers to the flashpoint area on the Thai-Cambodia border where some 18 people have died in fighting in recent months.
The issue is likely to be discussed at a summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders in Jakarta starting on Saturday.
Both countries have accused each other of sparking the violence, which centres on territory surrounding the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, the most celebrated example of ancient Khmer architecture outside Cambodia's Angkor.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia but both countries claim ownership of a 4.6 square kilometre (1.8 square mile) surrounding area.
The temple was granted UN World Heritage status in 2008.
Cambodia has previously denied it has troops stationed at Preah Vihear itself, although it has soldiers in the contested area.
The neighbours agreed in late February to allow Indonesian observers near Preah Vihear, but Thailand has been dragging its heals on their deployment as fighting continues.
"The problem is the willingness of Thailand to accept the observers or not, that is the real problem," Hor Namhong said.
Indonesia holds the current chair of ASEAN and has been trying to use its position to broker an end to the hostilities, which are undermining ASEAN's ambitions to create a closely integrated community by 2015.
Natalegawa said Cambodia had agreed to the terms of the observer mission but Thailand was insisting on the withdrawal of Cambodia's troops from the temple.
"We're ready (to send observers) but Thailand is saying that before the deployment of observers can be made, they require the redeployment of Cambodian troops out of the temple," he said.
"This issue is not governed in the terms of reference. It's outside the terms of reference proper. This is where we are now."
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for a ceasefire and said the neighbours should launch "serious dialogue" to resolve the dispute, which temporarily displaced about 85,000 people.
"We never can withdraw our troops from our own territory. That should be very clear," Hor Namhong told reporters after a meeting in Jakarta with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.
The Indonesians are trying to broker a ceasefire and the deployment of neutral military observers to the flashpoint area on the Thai-Cambodia border where some 18 people have died in fighting in recent months.
The issue is likely to be discussed at a summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders in Jakarta starting on Saturday.
Both countries have accused each other of sparking the violence, which centres on territory surrounding the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, the most celebrated example of ancient Khmer architecture outside Cambodia's Angkor.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia but both countries claim ownership of a 4.6 square kilometre (1.8 square mile) surrounding area.
The temple was granted UN World Heritage status in 2008.
Cambodia has previously denied it has troops stationed at Preah Vihear itself, although it has soldiers in the contested area.
The neighbours agreed in late February to allow Indonesian observers near Preah Vihear, but Thailand has been dragging its heals on their deployment as fighting continues.
"The problem is the willingness of Thailand to accept the observers or not, that is the real problem," Hor Namhong said.
Indonesia holds the current chair of ASEAN and has been trying to use its position to broker an end to the hostilities, which are undermining ASEAN's ambitions to create a closely integrated community by 2015.
Natalegawa said Cambodia had agreed to the terms of the observer mission but Thailand was insisting on the withdrawal of Cambodia's troops from the temple.
"We're ready (to send observers) but Thailand is saying that before the deployment of observers can be made, they require the redeployment of Cambodian troops out of the temple," he said.
"This issue is not governed in the terms of reference. It's outside the terms of reference proper. This is where we are now."
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for a ceasefire and said the neighbours should launch "serious dialogue" to resolve the dispute, which temporarily displaced about 85,000 people.
2 comments:
Thai news :http://www.youtube.com/user/DNNTHAILAND#p/u/10/f06y-nRkHw4
"the reason cambodia went to ICJ for clarification because Cambodia exhausted all the options and no avail regarding territory surrounding Preah Vihear temple is not an unexpected one " said assistant professor wongthong prawatkarapanh from Julalongkorn university ,Cambodia want ICJ to explain ,Thai have to withdrawn all the troops from Preah Vihear temple surrounding area according to ANNEX I map or not ? to Cambodia understanding ICJ use annex I map(map of treaty franco- siamese) as the guideline for the boundary .
If the ICJ clarification in Cambodia favor Thai have to pull all the troops from the surrounding area(4.6km2) in the additional Cambodia urge ICJ urgently inforce:
(1) according to Cambodia, the Judgment [rendered by the Court in 1962] is based on the prior existence of an international boundary established and recognized by both States;
(2) according to Cambodia, that boundary is defined by the map to which the Court refers on page 21 of its Judgment …, a map which enables the Court to find that Cambodia’s sovereignty over the Temple is a direct and automatic consequence of its sovereignty over the territory on which the Temple is situated …;
(3) according to the Judgment, Thailand is under an obligation to withdraw any military or other personnel from the vicinity of the Temple on Cambodian territory. Cambodia believes that this is a general and continuing obligation deriving from the statements concerning Cambodia’s territorial sovereignty recognized by the Court in that region forbid thai from interfering Cambodia activity on the area or worsen situation in the area .
If Cambodia successfully convince ICJ Thai have to withdrawn it military from the area but the ICJ decision is unknown factor or may be ICJ not accept Cambodia application at all who know .
The reason Preah Vihear temple negotiation progress to present day is the fruitful effort of the former PM Samak have the good relationship with Cambodia But his effort gone in vain because PAD incited the violence and cause damage to people of both sides of the countries.
The conclusion of professor wongthong "what ever the outcome of the ICJ decision it will fuel the hate toward each others for generations to come".
Cambodia should never withdraw our troops from our territory, the same as Thailand will never withdraw its troops from its territory. The area where Cambodian troops control are Cambodian territory, therefore we should never withdraw our troops from there.
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