A Change of Guard

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Thursday 21 July 2011

Cambodia wants border observers before troops leave


By Agence France-Presse,
Updated: 7/20/2011

Cambodia on Wednesday said third party observers must be sent to its disputed border with Thailand before it will comply with a UN court order to immediately withdraw troops from the area.

The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled Monday that both countries should remove their forces from the area around the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, scene of deadly clashes earlier this year.

But neither country has yet withdrawn its military presence and Thailand on Tuesday said talks between the neighbours would precede any military pullout.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong (pictured) said he had urged Indonesia, currently chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to send observers into the area as soon as possible.

"For Cambodia, Indonesian observers must arrive to examine the area first before we withdraw," he told reporters.

Indonesia has tried to mediate a solution to the conflict on behalf of ASEAN, but has achieved little except the in-principle agreement to allow a small third party team into the area.

The ICJ decision came after Cambodia launched a bitter legal battle before the court in late April in which it asked for an interpretation of a 1962 ruling on the Preah Vihear temple, the centre of a long legal wrangle.

While judges pondered that decision, Cambodia also asked for it to order Thailand to withdraw troops and stop military activity.

A decision on Cambodia's main request for an interpretation of the 1962 order could still take the court several months.

Although Thailand does not dispute Cambodia's ownership of the temple, secured by the 1962 ICJ ruling, both Phnom Penh and Bangkok claim the 4.6-square-kilometre (1.8-square-mile) area surrounding the ancient complex.

In February the United Nations appealed for a permanent ceasefire after 10 people were killed in fighting between the neighbours at the temple site, but fresh clashes broke out further west in April, leaving 18 dead and prompting 85,000 civilians to flee.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Even though the ICJ makes very clear about DMZ and ordered both Cambodia and Thailand to withdraw for the area, the Cambodia still distrusts the Thai counterpart. They worry about thousand of Cambodian families living in and surround Preah Vihear temple. If the Cambodian troops move out from the Preah Vihear temple’s vicinity, then the Thai will likely come to harass those villagers to move out as well. This situation had happened in the past, when there were no unarm Cambodians presented at the border area. This is the reason why the Cambodia wants the Asean Observers to be present at the DMZ. They want their citizens be protected.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry,khmer people! This is just a TEMPORARY provisions by ICJ. This is just a game that the ICJ plays to show ah thai that the ICJ is fair/justic.First, the ICJ has to make ah thai little smile and khmer little sad. But, the final ICJ decision will make khmer people smell like a rose. Watch!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I have said in the past that Cambodia government is not the same government 15 years ago. This government is full of scholars and very educated on the Preah vihea subject. I think it is the right move to wait for ASEAN before withdraw troops. In addition, the government should alway involve 3rd party on any negotiation with Thailand and put it in writing so that you can show to ICJ that your are comply with the order. All Khmer should speak in one voice.​ យើងអាចមានមតិខុសគ្មារឿងនយោបាយ បុន្តែរឿងជាតិយើងត្រូវសាមគ្គីគ្នាវៃសត្រូវទាំងអស់គ្មា យើងមិនត្រូវហៅអ្នកក្រៅមកវាយសាច់ឈាមខ្លួនឯងចាច់ខាត