PLEAS TO DELAY TABLING CAMBODIAN TEMPLE PLAN IGNORED
Published: 26/06/2011
Bangkok Post
The government says it will withdraw from the World Heritage Convention after a disappointing decision by its secretariat last night to advance Cambodia's management plan for the Preah Vihear temple.
The centre decided yesterday to advance Cambodia's plan to a meeting today of the WHC in Paris, despite Thai lobbying to have the plan delayed until border demarcation work with Cambodia is complete.
Earlier, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (pictured) expressed hope the centre would delay forwarding the plan as an agenda item.
But in a message on his Twitter account late last night, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti, who is leading the Thai delegation at the meeting, said the centre had ignored Thailand's pleas.
Withdrawal from the body was now inevitable.
"The World Heritage Centre decided to put the matter on the agenda. I have no choice, we have to withdraw.
"The decision is to prevent the other side from using this issue to claim our territory," he said.
Earlier, the government told the body it would withdraw from the WHC if the plan was not put on hold.
In an earlier Twitter message, Mr Suwit said: "I've issued an ultimatum _ if they reject our proposal, we have to be apart.
"It's useless to be in a society without rules like this. I did my best to protect the country's interests."
Before the decision was announced, former Thai ambassador Asda Jayanama, a key member of the Thai delegation and the chairman of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission, abruptly travelled back to Thailand, despite the negotiations entering a crucial stage.
The WHC proposed its own draft agreement after Thailand and Cambodia disagreed on each other's submitted drafts, despite each having adjusted their submission four times over two days.
The WHC's draft is in line with Thailand's draft in that it proposes to delay a decision on Cambodia's Preah Vihear management plan, but it contains sensitive words like "restoration" and "repair" of the temple, which Thailand worries could be used by Cambodia to apportion blame for damage to Preah Vihear.
Thailand also says restorations or repairs could threaten Thai sovereignty as any such works may require territory in the disputed border area which Thailand claims.
Mr Suwit and Fine Arts Department representatives disapproved of the wording, while the Foreign Ministry was happy with it.
Mr Abhisit said the word "adjustment" would more appropriately describe any temple works, as this would carry no connotations and neither country would be placed at a disadvantage.
He said that while Thailand stood by its ultimatum to leave the WHC if a postponement of the management plan was not agreed, the country would respect the committee's resolution either way.
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia should not escalate, whatever the decision. Reports have emerged, however, that amid the rise in tensions, Cambodia has told its troops to reinforce bunkers in the overlapping border area.
Thailand's threat to withdraw from the WHC is based on fears that agreeing to deliberate Cambodia's Preah Vihear management plan would put Thailand at risk of losing territory. The Thai delegation says any consideration of the plan should be put on hold until demarcation of the disputed border is finalised.
Thailand believed if the issue was forwarded to the WHC at this time, the country would cede advantage to Cambodia, which would likely be backed in the dispute by a greater number of the 19 other member nations. Member nations which were expected to support Thailand are mainly from Africa.
Bangkok Post
The government says it will withdraw from the World Heritage Convention after a disappointing decision by its secretariat last night to advance Cambodia's management plan for the Preah Vihear temple.
The centre decided yesterday to advance Cambodia's plan to a meeting today of the WHC in Paris, despite Thai lobbying to have the plan delayed until border demarcation work with Cambodia is complete.
Earlier, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (pictured) expressed hope the centre would delay forwarding the plan as an agenda item.
But in a message on his Twitter account late last night, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti, who is leading the Thai delegation at the meeting, said the centre had ignored Thailand's pleas.
Withdrawal from the body was now inevitable.
"The World Heritage Centre decided to put the matter on the agenda. I have no choice, we have to withdraw.
"The decision is to prevent the other side from using this issue to claim our territory," he said.
Earlier, the government told the body it would withdraw from the WHC if the plan was not put on hold.
In an earlier Twitter message, Mr Suwit said: "I've issued an ultimatum _ if they reject our proposal, we have to be apart.
"It's useless to be in a society without rules like this. I did my best to protect the country's interests."
Before the decision was announced, former Thai ambassador Asda Jayanama, a key member of the Thai delegation and the chairman of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission, abruptly travelled back to Thailand, despite the negotiations entering a crucial stage.
The WHC proposed its own draft agreement after Thailand and Cambodia disagreed on each other's submitted drafts, despite each having adjusted their submission four times over two days.
The WHC's draft is in line with Thailand's draft in that it proposes to delay a decision on Cambodia's Preah Vihear management plan, but it contains sensitive words like "restoration" and "repair" of the temple, which Thailand worries could be used by Cambodia to apportion blame for damage to Preah Vihear.
Thailand also says restorations or repairs could threaten Thai sovereignty as any such works may require territory in the disputed border area which Thailand claims.
Mr Suwit and Fine Arts Department representatives disapproved of the wording, while the Foreign Ministry was happy with it.
Mr Abhisit said the word "adjustment" would more appropriately describe any temple works, as this would carry no connotations and neither country would be placed at a disadvantage.
He said that while Thailand stood by its ultimatum to leave the WHC if a postponement of the management plan was not agreed, the country would respect the committee's resolution either way.
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia should not escalate, whatever the decision. Reports have emerged, however, that amid the rise in tensions, Cambodia has told its troops to reinforce bunkers in the overlapping border area.
Thailand's threat to withdraw from the WHC is based on fears that agreeing to deliberate Cambodia's Preah Vihear management plan would put Thailand at risk of losing territory. The Thai delegation says any consideration of the plan should be put on hold until demarcation of the disputed border is finalised.
Thailand believed if the issue was forwarded to the WHC at this time, the country would cede advantage to Cambodia, which would likely be backed in the dispute by a greater number of the 19 other member nations. Member nations which were expected to support Thailand are mainly from Africa.
7 comments:
I guess using threat to intimidate the WHC did not work at all, did it?
Thailand should be ashamed of itself considering the fact that the Thais love to call themselves a people belonging to a modern nation of the modern world.
Cambodians as a people have no choice but to start learning how to work together peacefully and avoid at any cost the civil war if Cambodia is to survive the threat from both Vietnam and Thailand.
Anet Khmer
Now Thai threats and intimidation failed to sway Unesco's decision, so we want to see what is Thailand's next move, withdraw the membership from Unesco as it has threatened? I would say "go ahead" and that Unesco should not be concerned about it. Preah vihear is a Cambodian temple and the surrounding land belong to Cambodia, so Cambodia has all the rights to do anything with it in order to preserve it. Thailand has no right whatsoever.
The UNESCO decision by its secretariat last night . sent a rippling shock for the rest of Thailand as if it were struck by 8.9 earthquake with the advance Cambodia's management plan for the Preah Vihear temple being the epicenter.
There will be an aftershock of 9.3 to relief the stress on the ICJ decision on the clarification requested by Cambodia .the aftershock will shatter Thailand dream of one day Thailand will reclaim the Preah Vihear temple by its dictator Sarit 48 years ago I quote " One day we will reclaim Prasat khao pra Viharn if Thailand being the world good citizen", unfortunately those day never come, if Thailand threaten the world most prestige organization on the decision that not in Thai favour,or U.N is not my father and ICJ got not jurisdiction on Thailand.
Thailand claimed UNESCO is a group without rule so it doesnt wanted to work with them. Sure, Thailand has law and order than any body on this planet. What is the next trick? Thailand didnt approved because of spelling error?
He, everybody!
UNESCO approved our document and plan to repair our temples.
Thailand already withdraw its membership from UNESCO.
In next couple days, Thailand will get another notification and rule that she must withdraw from Cambodian territory.
Thailand really pissed off! Be alert all cambodian commanders station at the frontline...Making sure our troops have enough supply...rocket, ammunitions, etc...
Thailand lost Its face big time!
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