AKP Phnom Penh, July 28, 2011 –Good writing is praiseworthy. This is the case of an OPINION piece, titled “Asean gets recognition, now it must act” by Kavi Chongkittavorn, published in the Nation on 25 July 2011. It must be emphasized that Kavi Chongkittavorn has a very good hold on ASEAN affairs. He raised valid points about (i) the future task of Cambodia in 2012 when Cambodia assumes the chairmanship of ASEAN, as the Association is fully preparing itself for the integration in the international community with, in particular, the East Asia Summit at the end of 2012, (ii) the crucial 2014 when ASEAN prepares for the launching of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, whereas Burma expressed its readiness to host ASEAN in 2014, but at what price, as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton constantly asks Burma to release political prisoners, begin dialogue with opposition and address nuclear proliferation? On the other hand, how many ASEAN members have endorsed Burma 2014 ASEAN Chair? (iii) the effectiveness of ASEAN’s handling Cambodian-Thai dispute following the ICJ 18 July 2011 Decision on the provisional measures prior to the judgment on the interpretation of the ICJ Judgment 15 June 1962 requested by Cambodia.
Lack of honesty in writing is a disappointment. Whether intentionally or not, when it comes to Cambodian-Thai dispute, Kavi Chongkittavorn missed important facts and interchanged realities with personal beliefs. Respecting his professional integrity in general, Kavi Chongkittavorn must be given the benefit of the doubts that he did not mean what he said, when he wrote: “Last week, both Cambodia and Thailand were quick to agree to comply with the court’s verdict demanding their troops pull out from the disputed areas near Preah Vihear Temple,” why? Because the ICJ’s verdict says “the provisional demilitarized zone”. The difference is fundamental. Paragraph 62 of the 18 July 2011 ICJ order is precise in the delimitation of the provisional demilitarized zone.
Inserting his personal beliefs and his own inclination rather than reporting the realities is found at the end of the third paragraph, when Kavi Chongkittavorn wrote “Cambodia prefers dispatching observers during the pullouts, while Thailand wants them in after the withdrawal.” Actually, Cambodia wants the observers in first and the pullouts by both Cambodian and Thai military personnel follow. Kavi Chongkittavorn should read the draft agreement proposed by the Kingdom of Cambodia that is widely disseminated through a Press Conference given by Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister on 22 July 2011to avoid discrediting his own longstanding professionalism.
Raising doubt on the matter of responsibility of Indonesia as ASEAN chair regarding the handling of the Cambodia-Thai conflict when the ASEAN chair will be assumed by Cambodia in 2012 was an absurdity with the kind of questions put out by Kavi Chongkittavorn, such as: “Will Indonesia continue its current responsibility uninterrupted? Will Phnom Penh, as the future Asean chair, agree to such plan while it is a party to the conflict? Samdech Techo Hun Sen has presented Cambodia’s position publicly more than once that Cambodia will chair ASEAN in 2012, but Cambodia requested Indonesia to continue handling the Cambodia-Thai conflict as prescribed by the ICJ’s order not as Chair of ASEAN but in the Name of ASEAN.
It is hopeful that Kavi Chongkittavorn would re-write his “OPINION” by taking into account the facts and truth, and by doing so he would contribute to a better relation and mutual understanding between Cambodia and Thailand, specially as ASEAN members are moving closer and closer to the 2015 ASEAN Economic Community.
Pen Ngoeun
The Press and Quick Reaction Unit (PRU)
Lack of honesty in writing is a disappointment. Whether intentionally or not, when it comes to Cambodian-Thai dispute, Kavi Chongkittavorn missed important facts and interchanged realities with personal beliefs. Respecting his professional integrity in general, Kavi Chongkittavorn must be given the benefit of the doubts that he did not mean what he said, when he wrote: “Last week, both Cambodia and Thailand were quick to agree to comply with the court’s verdict demanding their troops pull out from the disputed areas near Preah Vihear Temple,” why? Because the ICJ’s verdict says “the provisional demilitarized zone”. The difference is fundamental. Paragraph 62 of the 18 July 2011 ICJ order is precise in the delimitation of the provisional demilitarized zone.
Inserting his personal beliefs and his own inclination rather than reporting the realities is found at the end of the third paragraph, when Kavi Chongkittavorn wrote “Cambodia prefers dispatching observers during the pullouts, while Thailand wants them in after the withdrawal.” Actually, Cambodia wants the observers in first and the pullouts by both Cambodian and Thai military personnel follow. Kavi Chongkittavorn should read the draft agreement proposed by the Kingdom of Cambodia that is widely disseminated through a Press Conference given by Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister on 22 July 2011to avoid discrediting his own longstanding professionalism.
Raising doubt on the matter of responsibility of Indonesia as ASEAN chair regarding the handling of the Cambodia-Thai conflict when the ASEAN chair will be assumed by Cambodia in 2012 was an absurdity with the kind of questions put out by Kavi Chongkittavorn, such as: “Will Indonesia continue its current responsibility uninterrupted? Will Phnom Penh, as the future Asean chair, agree to such plan while it is a party to the conflict? Samdech Techo Hun Sen has presented Cambodia’s position publicly more than once that Cambodia will chair ASEAN in 2012, but Cambodia requested Indonesia to continue handling the Cambodia-Thai conflict as prescribed by the ICJ’s order not as Chair of ASEAN but in the Name of ASEAN.
It is hopeful that Kavi Chongkittavorn would re-write his “OPINION” by taking into account the facts and truth, and by doing so he would contribute to a better relation and mutual understanding between Cambodia and Thailand, specially as ASEAN members are moving closer and closer to the 2015 ASEAN Economic Community.
Pen Ngoeun
The Press and Quick Reaction Unit (PRU)
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