Saturday June 07, 2008
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Bangkok Post
The long-running dispute over Preah Vihear temple between Thailand and Cambodia is likely to be settled based on a new border map developed by Phnom Penh, according to Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama. The map, received on Thursday, a day before the two neighbouring countries' agreed deadline, was initially seen to indicate that only the temple, without its surrounding areas, was to be registered as a World Heritage Site, the minister said.
Bangkok and Phnom Penh agreed in Paris late last month, during a Unesco-brokered meeting, to develop a new map and Cambodia would send it to Thailand by June 6.
The new map has helped break the deadlock over the disputed land at the ancient temple site, locally known as Khao Phra Viharn, and Cambodia would now propose the temple as a World Heritage Site early next month in Canada, said Mr Noppadon.
Mr Noppadon assured that Thailand will not lose an inch of its territory under the new map developed by the Cambodian side.
Under the redrawn map, Cambodia has proposed that the Preah Vihear temple, which is on its side, and only 30 metres of the adjacent areas of the temple be put up for listing.
Cambodia's previous proposal to Unesco - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation - also included disputed land on the 4.6-square-kilometre border between Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district and Preah Vihear province as areas to be listed under the World Heritage Site.
''To make sure that there is no area that overlaps Thai territory, I have asked the Royal Thai Survey Department to inspect the area again with the use of the highly accurate GPS system. It would take just three days to do it,'' said Mr Noppadon in a phone interview from Germany.
He said he discussed the map by phone with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and instructed senior officers of the East Asian Treaties and Legal Affairs departments as well as the military's Royal Thai Survey Department to go to Siem Reap to receive the map from Cambodia on Thursday.
After being properly checked, the map will be forwarded to the National Security Council, which is expected to hold a meeting on Monday, and then tabled before the cabinet for endorsement on Tuesday.
Mr Noppadon said he would try to give the Phnom Penh government a reply on the matter before June 15, when the Cambodian government is required to table the map before the World Heritage Site Committee, comprising members from 21 countries, in Canada.
Mr Noppadon also plans to attend the July 2 meeting in Quebec.
''We have reached a stage where both sides can break the deadlock without losing any territory, and this case will set a good precedent for other negotiations between the two countries in the future,'' he said.
The new map will only be made public after its submission by Cambodia to the World Heritage Site Committee, he said.
However, the two countries have still to strike a deal on how they would jointly run the disputed areas, said Mr Noppadon.
Bangkok and Phnom Penh agreed in Paris late last month, during a Unesco-brokered meeting, to develop a new map and Cambodia would send it to Thailand by June 6.
The new map has helped break the deadlock over the disputed land at the ancient temple site, locally known as Khao Phra Viharn, and Cambodia would now propose the temple as a World Heritage Site early next month in Canada, said Mr Noppadon.
Mr Noppadon assured that Thailand will not lose an inch of its territory under the new map developed by the Cambodian side.
Under the redrawn map, Cambodia has proposed that the Preah Vihear temple, which is on its side, and only 30 metres of the adjacent areas of the temple be put up for listing.
Cambodia's previous proposal to Unesco - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation - also included disputed land on the 4.6-square-kilometre border between Si Sa Ket's Kantharalak district and Preah Vihear province as areas to be listed under the World Heritage Site.
''To make sure that there is no area that overlaps Thai territory, I have asked the Royal Thai Survey Department to inspect the area again with the use of the highly accurate GPS system. It would take just three days to do it,'' said Mr Noppadon in a phone interview from Germany.
He said he discussed the map by phone with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and instructed senior officers of the East Asian Treaties and Legal Affairs departments as well as the military's Royal Thai Survey Department to go to Siem Reap to receive the map from Cambodia on Thursday.
After being properly checked, the map will be forwarded to the National Security Council, which is expected to hold a meeting on Monday, and then tabled before the cabinet for endorsement on Tuesday.
Mr Noppadon said he would try to give the Phnom Penh government a reply on the matter before June 15, when the Cambodian government is required to table the map before the World Heritage Site Committee, comprising members from 21 countries, in Canada.
Mr Noppadon also plans to attend the July 2 meeting in Quebec.
''We have reached a stage where both sides can break the deadlock without losing any territory, and this case will set a good precedent for other negotiations between the two countries in the future,'' he said.
The new map will only be made public after its submission by Cambodia to the World Heritage Site Committee, he said.
However, the two countries have still to strike a deal on how they would jointly run the disputed areas, said Mr Noppadon.
11 comments:
hun sen doing all this in exchange for managemnt of OIL off shore!!
It is good to see Khmer and Khmer-Thai brothers find a mutual settlement between them.
dID we lose any land to the Thai?i hope not.
if they are really and exactly khmer-thai brothers,as said above,they must have a strongly pity on khmer-kandals,and must not be reluctantly to offer the temple back to us ,the khmer-kandals.
i used to have been there twice,and i know those khmer-thais'
heart clearly.
Well, why can the Khmer-Kandal have pity on the Khmer-Thai and let them have the temple, since the Khmer-Kandal already have Ankor Wat?
Segregate brotherhood and sovereignty? Please listen to what you are remarking! Still recalling the Khmer refugees massacred by the Thai’s on the border near the temple 1979? How about K5? Ringing the bell brothers?
We need to think as a Nation, rather than as an ethnic racial balance.
K4K
i think the new map is only for the purpose of presenting to unesco that cambodia only proposes the temple for unesco, however, because the 4.6 sq km "is still in dispute" with thailand, thus, not to waste time waiting for the area to be demarcated, cambodia has to present a map to show the world that our sacred khmer preah vihear temple is in cambodian territory, whereas the remaining 4.6 sq km area still needs work on to satisfy both side. so, in reality, the map is only show to the world not to delay the listing of preah vihear to unesco, but the remaining disputed area of 4.6 sq km still need proper decarmate; it doesn't mean cambodia stop claiming it or give it to thailand for free, people. be educated and know the difference: temple and disputed area are two separate issues, here. temple is cambodia's already, no dispute about it, but the "4.6 sq km" disputed area needs proper demarcation to the satisfaction of both cambodia and thailand, not just thailand. know the real true, here. god bless cambodia.
Yes 11:56AM I agreed to see Khmer mutually settlemnt between them in peace manner, but not that location. How about up to BUMA & LAOs border, are you wanted to see that too? I am OK to see Khmer have peace among Khmer nation at this location.
Of course, Khmer doesn't have any border between them. So why kill each other because of the French's stupid border theory.
5:36am, still that doesn't mean thailand can ignore the french treaty of 1903-1907 on behalf of cambodia. can not ignore that for this is not how the world operation anymore, mayber in the dark ages, that may be true, but in modern days, thailand have to respect the original 1903-1907 treaty because it was on behalf of cambodia and that's what we had agreed with originally, unless thailand want khmer ot reclaim all of our old khmer provinces back from thailand, then we will by law; otherwise repect the original treaty.
All foreigners treaties should be invalidated because this is not a foreigner's land, but Khmer's land. It is stupid to have foreigners decided anything for Khmer people.
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