SINGAPORE, July (Bernama) -- The dispute between Cambodia and Thailand over a border land area near an ancient temple declared as a world heritage site recently will not escape the limelight of the 41st Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) which will begin here informally tonight.
"Certainly it will be discussed when all the Asean foreign ministers meet," said AMM spokesman Andrew Tan today.
In a media briefing here, he said the Asean foreign ministers would definitely ask for an update on the dispute from both the Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers.
"So far, what we know of the events were all reported by the media only," he said.
Cambodia and Thailand are now on a military stand-off after Unesco approved Cambodia's application to list Preah Vihear temple as a world heritage site recently.
Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan yesterday urged both countries to exercise maximum restraint and settle the dispute amicably.
Tan said Asean hoped the matter could be resolved in the best way possible in the Asean spirit and that the Thai-Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Thailand tomorrow could also produce a positive outcome.
He also said that issues related on Myanmar's human rights and democracy records, especially the recently concluded referendum, would certainly be on the Asean foreign ministers' agenda.
Already high on the agenda list of the 41st AMM to be officially opened tomorrow by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, are the ratification of the Asean Charter, reports on the humanitarian aid effort coordinated by Asean during the cyclone Nargis disaster in Myanmar, and the establishment of an Asean human rights body.
On the human rights body, Tan said it was difficult at the current stage to determine when it would be set up as it would not be easy for Asean to establish it.
He said discussions on the matter would probably take months or years before all Asean members could reach an agreement as it involved settlement mechanisms to resolve disputes.
"Certainly it will be discussed when all the Asean foreign ministers meet," said AMM spokesman Andrew Tan today.
In a media briefing here, he said the Asean foreign ministers would definitely ask for an update on the dispute from both the Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers.
"So far, what we know of the events were all reported by the media only," he said.
Cambodia and Thailand are now on a military stand-off after Unesco approved Cambodia's application to list Preah Vihear temple as a world heritage site recently.
Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan yesterday urged both countries to exercise maximum restraint and settle the dispute amicably.
Tan said Asean hoped the matter could be resolved in the best way possible in the Asean spirit and that the Thai-Cambodia General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Thailand tomorrow could also produce a positive outcome.
He also said that issues related on Myanmar's human rights and democracy records, especially the recently concluded referendum, would certainly be on the Asean foreign ministers' agenda.
Already high on the agenda list of the 41st AMM to be officially opened tomorrow by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, are the ratification of the Asean Charter, reports on the humanitarian aid effort coordinated by Asean during the cyclone Nargis disaster in Myanmar, and the establishment of an Asean human rights body.
On the human rights body, Tan said it was difficult at the current stage to determine when it would be set up as it would not be easy for Asean to establish it.
He said discussions on the matter would probably take months or years before all Asean members could reach an agreement as it involved settlement mechanisms to resolve disputes.
1 comment:
Vietminh Tan discussing human right and democracy.
Yea...
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