BANGKOK, Nov 22 (MCOT)-- Thailand on Monday presented its 'Written Observations' regarding Cambodia’s petition to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) requesting interpretation of the 1962 verdict on the historic Preah Vihear temple and was confident regarding its evidence, according to Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul.
Mr Surapong said that his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong, who is also deputy prime minister, wanted the issue to be concluded peacefully as soon as possible.
The foreign minister said the legal team led by Thailand’s ambassador to the Hague Virachai Plasai, as agent of the Thai government and Treaties Affairs Department Director-General Ittiporn Boonprakong, assistant to the agent, submitted the written observations to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at 5pm (Thailand time) within its requested timeframe.
The report contains 300 pages of detailed narrative and 600 pages of annexes which cannot be disclosed unless permitted by the ICJ, Mr Surapong said.
The Thai legal team, set up by the Abhisit Vejjajiva government on May 3, is led by Virachai Plasai and includes three foreign lawyers, one each from France, Canada and Australia.
Mr Surapong said that all members of all three legal teams were the same who worked on the case from the beginning. Only the minister of foreign affairs has changed.
He said the case needed continuity as it was an important issue and the foreign lawyers were all well qualified and have experience in international cases.
The minister said he was confident regarding the evidence. The relations between Thailand and Cambodia have been improving since the Pheu Thai-led government took office. He said he believed this could be a factor to finding a solution to the dispute easily.
Mr Surapong said that he has had an informal conversation with Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong in which expressed his desire to see a peaceful solution and wanted the committees representing the two nations to move on.
The Cambodian government in April asked the court to interpret its 1962 verdict on the ownership of Preah Vihear and the disputed surrounding area.
Cambodia also asked the court to issue an injunction ordering Thailand to withdraw its troops from the disputed area around the Preah Vihear after relations between the two countries soured in the wake of Cambodia's bid to have the temple listed as a World Heritage Site.
The court ruled in 1962 that the historic temple was on Cambodian soil, but its ruling was not clear about ownership of the surrounding 4.6 square kilometre area. Thai and Cambodian troops have clashed repeatedly as each side attempted to assert sovereignty of the disputed adjacent areas.
As for the injunction, the ICJ ruled on July 18 that both Cambodia and Thailand with their troops to temporarily develop the disputed areas as a demilitarised zone and that Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) observers should be present in the zone. (MCOT online news)
Mr Surapong said that his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong, who is also deputy prime minister, wanted the issue to be concluded peacefully as soon as possible.
The foreign minister said the legal team led by Thailand’s ambassador to the Hague Virachai Plasai, as agent of the Thai government and Treaties Affairs Department Director-General Ittiporn Boonprakong, assistant to the agent, submitted the written observations to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at 5pm (Thailand time) within its requested timeframe.
The report contains 300 pages of detailed narrative and 600 pages of annexes which cannot be disclosed unless permitted by the ICJ, Mr Surapong said.
The Thai legal team, set up by the Abhisit Vejjajiva government on May 3, is led by Virachai Plasai and includes three foreign lawyers, one each from France, Canada and Australia.
Mr Surapong said that all members of all three legal teams were the same who worked on the case from the beginning. Only the minister of foreign affairs has changed.
He said the case needed continuity as it was an important issue and the foreign lawyers were all well qualified and have experience in international cases.
The minister said he was confident regarding the evidence. The relations between Thailand and Cambodia have been improving since the Pheu Thai-led government took office. He said he believed this could be a factor to finding a solution to the dispute easily.
Mr Surapong said that he has had an informal conversation with Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong in which expressed his desire to see a peaceful solution and wanted the committees representing the two nations to move on.
The Cambodian government in April asked the court to interpret its 1962 verdict on the ownership of Preah Vihear and the disputed surrounding area.
Cambodia also asked the court to issue an injunction ordering Thailand to withdraw its troops from the disputed area around the Preah Vihear after relations between the two countries soured in the wake of Cambodia's bid to have the temple listed as a World Heritage Site.
The court ruled in 1962 that the historic temple was on Cambodian soil, but its ruling was not clear about ownership of the surrounding 4.6 square kilometre area. Thai and Cambodian troops have clashed repeatedly as each side attempted to assert sovereignty of the disputed adjacent areas.
As for the injunction, the ICJ ruled on July 18 that both Cambodia and Thailand with their troops to temporarily develop the disputed areas as a demilitarised zone and that Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) observers should be present in the zone. (MCOT online news)
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