Preah Vihear: international court asks Cambodia to submit response to Thailand by March

Sir Franklin Berman, member of the English Bar, left and Hor Namhong talk at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, May 30, 2011.

Wednesday, 07 December 2011
Posted by Serath

PHNOM PENH, Dec 7 (Cambodia Herald) - Cambodia is preparing a response to submit to the International Court of Justice by March in its dispute with Thailand over the land around the Preah Vihear temple, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Wednesday.

"The court now wants us to make remarks on Thailand’s response. We are preparing our response to Thailand’s response. Our deadline is March 8, 2012," he told reporters.

"We are waiting to elaborate on the verdict as we earlier requested the International Court of Justice to elaborate on its 1962 verdict. In March 2012, we will reply to Thailand," the minister added. "Thailand requested us to elaborate on the verdict to the court."

Hor Namhong said the process would take place regardless of relations between Cambodia and Thailand. Regarding recent clashes between two sides, he said the border situation was quiet and that Defense Minister Tea Banh had requested his Thai counterpart to attend a meeting of the General Border Committee later this month.

Tea Banh issued an invitation to the Thai embassy last week for an eighth round of talks by the committee in Phnom Penh from December 20 to 25.