Friday, 03 June 2011
By Cheang Sokha
Phnom Penh Post
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong (pictured) said yesterday that the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border near Preah Vihear temple remained “highly fragile” ahead of a pending decision on the issue from the United Nations’ International Court of Justice.
Representatives of Cambodia and Thailand appeared before the court this week after the Kingdom requested that the ICJ reinterpret its 1962 judgment awarding Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia. Cambodia wants the court to revisit that verdict and explain how it bears on the sovereignty of the surrounding territory.
Ahead of such a reinterpretation, which could take years, Cambodia has called for the court to order “interim measures” requiring Thailand to withdraw its military forces from the area and implementing safeguards for the protection of the temple.
Speaking to reporters following his return from the ICJ in The Hague, Hor Namhong said yesterday that the court could decide on such measures within 40 to 45 days. In the meantime, he said, the situation near the temple remains precarious.
“We have always prepared 24 hours [per day] for all forms of incidents,” he said. “While we are waiting for the court to issue a decision on the urgent measures, we want to see Thailand show aggression against Cambodia to show the world and the court the ambition for war of Thailand.”
In February, clashes broke out near Preah Vihear that killed at least 10 people. Fighting near the temple also reignited briefly in April in the midst of hostilities roughly 150 kilometres away, along the border near Oddar Meanchey province.
“Thailand has shown aggression against Cambodia because Thailand did not obey the ICJ’s ruling of 1962,” Hor Namhong said.
The court has not given a date for its ruling on the provisional measures, saying only that such a decision will come “as soon as possible”. Cambodia and Thailand are still required to submit additional information to the court on the fighting in April to allow it to assess the urgency of the requested provisional measures.
Thani Thongphakdi, spokesman for the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said yesterday that a decision from the ICJ was irrelevant to preserving the peace along the border.
“I think the situation is fragile in the sense that it is up to Cambodia,” he said. “We have to stress that we did not initiate any of the recent clashes.”
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JAMES O’TOOLE
Phnom Penh Post
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong (pictured) said yesterday that the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border near Preah Vihear temple remained “highly fragile” ahead of a pending decision on the issue from the United Nations’ International Court of Justice.
Representatives of Cambodia and Thailand appeared before the court this week after the Kingdom requested that the ICJ reinterpret its 1962 judgment awarding Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia. Cambodia wants the court to revisit that verdict and explain how it bears on the sovereignty of the surrounding territory.
Ahead of such a reinterpretation, which could take years, Cambodia has called for the court to order “interim measures” requiring Thailand to withdraw its military forces from the area and implementing safeguards for the protection of the temple.
Speaking to reporters following his return from the ICJ in The Hague, Hor Namhong said yesterday that the court could decide on such measures within 40 to 45 days. In the meantime, he said, the situation near the temple remains precarious.
“We have always prepared 24 hours [per day] for all forms of incidents,” he said. “While we are waiting for the court to issue a decision on the urgent measures, we want to see Thailand show aggression against Cambodia to show the world and the court the ambition for war of Thailand.”
In February, clashes broke out near Preah Vihear that killed at least 10 people. Fighting near the temple also reignited briefly in April in the midst of hostilities roughly 150 kilometres away, along the border near Oddar Meanchey province.
“Thailand has shown aggression against Cambodia because Thailand did not obey the ICJ’s ruling of 1962,” Hor Namhong said.
The court has not given a date for its ruling on the provisional measures, saying only that such a decision will come “as soon as possible”. Cambodia and Thailand are still required to submit additional information to the court on the fighting in April to allow it to assess the urgency of the requested provisional measures.
Thani Thongphakdi, spokesman for the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said yesterday that a decision from the ICJ was irrelevant to preserving the peace along the border.
“I think the situation is fragile in the sense that it is up to Cambodia,” he said. “We have to stress that we did not initiate any of the recent clashes.”
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JAMES O’TOOLE
3 comments:
Thailand could use trick to start new fighting and blame cambodian...Where all of those observer from Asean's team???????
Thailand created overlapping area (600,000 acres) of land and maritime area of the expended of Cambodia .
The Thai govt demands negotiate with Cam govt on the overlapping area,by not allowing 3rd party to intervene.if not success Thai will use force to drive out Cambodians living in the Thai claimed area.
The end of Cold War and conflict in Indochina.Opportunity for Thailand to expand economic empire to neighboring countries.and becoming regional econ hub is disappear if Thailand acting like the bully boy.
Opening the Preah Vihear Temple for tourist visit will benefit Thai business sector.The Preah Vihear Temple was part of Thailand’s cross-border tourism.
Thailand wanted the listing to be done jointly.But Cambodia wanted to do it alone.Cambodia submitted the nomination file for the 2007 WHC meeting upset Thailand because Cambodia did not consulting Thailand.
Facing refusal from Cambodia,Thai govt gave up the joint inscription proposal and focused and intensify on the overlapping area only.
Here is the court's opinion regarding the frontier line in the disputed area:
“Thailand in 1908-1909 did accept the Annex I map as representing the outcome of the work of delimitation, and hence recognized the line on the map as being the frontier line, the effect of which is to situate Preah Vihear in Cambodian territory."
"Both Parties, by their conduct, recognized the line and thereby in effect agreed to regard it as being the frontier line.”
“The acceptance of the Annex I map by the Parties caused the map to enter the treaty settlement and to become an integral part of it.”
Does cambodia has hope on ICJ rule?
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