Kyodo
Cambodia on Monday accepted an offer by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to help it and neighboring Thailand resolve a military standoff along their disputed border while Bangkok wanted the issue settled bilaterally.
The development came after talks between the two countries earlier in the day failed to end the tense confrontation.
In a letter sent to Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo, who is chairing an annual series of ASEAN ministerial meetings in Singapore this week, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong asked him to form an "ASEAN Inter-Ministerial Group" comprising the foreign ministers of Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos.
The group would be asked "to help find a peaceful solution to the current crisis and to avoid military confrontation between two ASEAN members," Hor Namhong said in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Kyodo News.
He complained that Thai troops, artillery and tanks "are building up along the border, constituting a very serious threat not only to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia but also to peace and stability in our region."
Meanwhile, Thai deputy Prime Minister Sahas Bunditkul said Thailand wants to settle the issue bilaterally.
Speaking to reporters after the ASEAN ministerial meeting, Sahas said he understands the goodwill of ASEAN members in offering to resolve the border standoff with Cambodia. But he added Thailand wants to handle the matter bilaterally.
"I will show you an example. If A and B have a conflict, they probably want to resolve by themselves. A and B have to talk and it will take time to resolve the problem. It's not possible to set deadline only one day and then let another hand to mediate", he said.
The Cambodian letter comes after ASEAN foreign ministers on Sunday issued a joint statement urging Cambodia and Thailand "to exercise utmost restraint and resolve this issue amicably, in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity and good neighborliness."
They said ASEAN would place its facilities at the two countries' disposal "in the event that they felt the need for further support to find an early resolution to the issue."
The ministers also expressed hope that Cambodia and Thailand could find a way to resolve the issue between themselves at a special session of their General Border Committee.
But that meeting, which was held Monday in the Thai border town of Aranyaprathet involving Cambodian Defense Minister Gen. Tea Banh and Thai Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsrang Niumpradit, ended after some 8 hours with only pledges to refrain from violence and avert armed confrontations.
Boonsrang admitted to reporters the two sides were unable to come up with "proper" recommendations to make to their respective governments.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda told reporters Monday that he had proposed in Singapore that a "contact group" be set up by ASEAN "to facilitate their talks over the dispute if the two sides fail to find solutions in their border meeting."
"I'm afraid that if we don't manage this issue well, it will affect the political stability in this region. So there is a need to deal with this issue seriously," he added.
He said ASEAN was "uncomfortable" that Cambodia last week approached the U.N. Security Council on the matter, claiming Thai soldiers have been encroaching on its territory since last Tuesday in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple, which has been at the center of a bitter 50-year bilateral dispute.
The ancient cliff-top temple was earlier this month inscribed as a World Heritage site, capping seven years of efforts by Phnom Penh over Bangkok's objections.
Thailand had occupied the area from 1949 when Cambodia was a French protectorate, but Cambodia won possession of the temple through an International Court of Justice ruling in 1962.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (with contributions from Puy Kea in Phnom Penh and Varunee Torsricharoen in Bangkok)
The development came after talks between the two countries earlier in the day failed to end the tense confrontation.
In a letter sent to Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo, who is chairing an annual series of ASEAN ministerial meetings in Singapore this week, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong asked him to form an "ASEAN Inter-Ministerial Group" comprising the foreign ministers of Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos.
The group would be asked "to help find a peaceful solution to the current crisis and to avoid military confrontation between two ASEAN members," Hor Namhong said in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Kyodo News.
He complained that Thai troops, artillery and tanks "are building up along the border, constituting a very serious threat not only to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia but also to peace and stability in our region."
Meanwhile, Thai deputy Prime Minister Sahas Bunditkul said Thailand wants to settle the issue bilaterally.
Speaking to reporters after the ASEAN ministerial meeting, Sahas said he understands the goodwill of ASEAN members in offering to resolve the border standoff with Cambodia. But he added Thailand wants to handle the matter bilaterally.
"I will show you an example. If A and B have a conflict, they probably want to resolve by themselves. A and B have to talk and it will take time to resolve the problem. It's not possible to set deadline only one day and then let another hand to mediate", he said.
The Cambodian letter comes after ASEAN foreign ministers on Sunday issued a joint statement urging Cambodia and Thailand "to exercise utmost restraint and resolve this issue amicably, in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity and good neighborliness."
They said ASEAN would place its facilities at the two countries' disposal "in the event that they felt the need for further support to find an early resolution to the issue."
The ministers also expressed hope that Cambodia and Thailand could find a way to resolve the issue between themselves at a special session of their General Border Committee.
But that meeting, which was held Monday in the Thai border town of Aranyaprathet involving Cambodian Defense Minister Gen. Tea Banh and Thai Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsrang Niumpradit, ended after some 8 hours with only pledges to refrain from violence and avert armed confrontations.
Boonsrang admitted to reporters the two sides were unable to come up with "proper" recommendations to make to their respective governments.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda told reporters Monday that he had proposed in Singapore that a "contact group" be set up by ASEAN "to facilitate their talks over the dispute if the two sides fail to find solutions in their border meeting."
"I'm afraid that if we don't manage this issue well, it will affect the political stability in this region. So there is a need to deal with this issue seriously," he added.
He said ASEAN was "uncomfortable" that Cambodia last week approached the U.N. Security Council on the matter, claiming Thai soldiers have been encroaching on its territory since last Tuesday in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple, which has been at the center of a bitter 50-year bilateral dispute.
The ancient cliff-top temple was earlier this month inscribed as a World Heritage site, capping seven years of efforts by Phnom Penh over Bangkok's objections.
Thailand had occupied the area from 1949 when Cambodia was a French protectorate, but Cambodia won possession of the temple through an International Court of Justice ruling in 1962.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (with contributions from Puy Kea in Phnom Penh and Varunee Torsricharoen in Bangkok)
18 comments:
To the soldier's family:
Your wife and relatives are happy to defend Thailand. We, Cambodian, are happy to destroy your leg because you invade our country. If Khmer soldiers step 1 foot into Thailand, The Thai will send their military power to squash our soldiers. But, now Thailand invade Khmer territory and Hun Sen do nonething about it.
We need to teach Thai a lesson to see who is stronger than who. We need to kill Thai people because they kill us too many during 1980. We should not forget those days when we crossed the border.
No, you don't need to do any of those thing. What you need to do is to get out of Issan Province, and that will solved all of the problem at hand. Furthermore, you can't judge people using 15th century propaganda either.
Cambodia soldier are look so fear when Thai's Army keep sending more troops with canon facing to them.
The Thai may send F14 Tomcats and F16 Falcons control the zone.
Cambodian soldiers may have no place to hide by F14 and F16 on the air.
Thai's the greatest army in the Region. Worned to those who want Thailand.
"ASEAN was "uncomfortable" that Cambodia last week approached the U.N. Security Council on the matter"
= What the fuck with ASEAN and why are they so anal? The fucken reason the ASEAN felt "uncomfortable" about Cambodia asked the United Nations for help because the ASEAN leaders can't do shit anyway! These fucken ASEAN leaders are made up of a bunch of dictators who will not intervene in each other business even for violating basic human right!
It is so sad that the ASEAN still prey upon each other for survival and in nature it is called cannibalism! The fucken ASEAN is practicing cannibalism and they don't even know it and that how stupid the ASEAN leaders are!
A Thaicong deputy Prime Minister Sahas Bunditkul said "If A and B have a conflict, they probably want to resolve by themselves. A and B have to talk and it will take time to resolve the problem."
= I believe AH Sahas Bunditkul doesn't even understand what the hell is talking about! What AH Sahas Bunditkul fail to understand is that Thaicong think they are bigger with 61 million people and have more military advantage over smaller Cambodia! So the Thaicong continue to press Cambodian leaders into negotiation and to accept all Thaicong terms and conditions to resolve the border conflict! The Thaicong never want Cambodian leaders to turn to any third party to find the solution because the Thaicong leaders want to dictate and force their solution on Cambodian leaders! This is the most injustice the Thaicong leaders can do to Cambodian people and Cambodian leaders!
The Thaicong leaders need to understand that this is not the first time that Cambodian has war and conflict! Even though Cambodia doesn't even have weapons factories but yet Cambodia still manages to kill and disable million and million of people! The fact that the war, the destruction, and the killing were possible because of the third party!
So the new equation now is!
A + B = Third party!
Cambodia will have no choice except to pursue third party involvement in any war against the Thaicong aggressor! The free flow weapons from the third party is inevitable and the war against the Thaicong aggressor will be fought with the use of million and million of landmines and the guerilla tactic will guarantee to bleed the Thaicong aggressor many more years to come! Cambodia must bring in the third party involvement to mitigate the Thaicong-Cambodian conflict because Cambodia has done it in the past which led to successful withdrawal of the Vietcong troop from Cambodia!
If the Thaicong-Cambodian conflict can't be solved by the ASEAN then the ASEAN and Cambodia need to go their separate way! Cambodia will not be blame for the Thaicong aggression which lead to instability of the whole Southeast Asia! Let the killing begin!
I strongly agree with you.
Remember when we cross the border,
Thai raped Khmer girls and women and seized all our belongings even we were in the refugee camps.
I remember one morning all my family and a hundred of trucks full of Khmers were discretly sent back from nong Chan camp to Cambodia through Preah Vihear slope. Many of them were killed or by Thai military because they didn't dare to go down through the minefield or killed by the mine.
Don't forget that!
If our leader was a real patriot, he would restaure our country to prosperity and have a good army to protect our country.
But leader HunXen is nothing but lead us soon to destruction.
Wake-up kone Khmer, it's not to late to oust him and his clan forever.
The ASEAN is already trying to minimize the the invasion of Thailand. Cambodia should not let this issue linger. If the Thai does not withdraw their troops unconditionally we should ask for the UN assistance.
If Cambodia let this go the Thai will use this against us. We are condoning their illegal act.
If after the ASEAN meeting the Thai does not withdraw their troops, Cambodia must ask the assistance of the UN.
How can we keep playing their game when their are violating our sovereignty.
To 6:04AM
"Cambodian soldiers may have no place to hide by F14 and F16 on the air." ahhahahhahahha!
The Thaicong F14 and F16 are no match for Stinger and SAM!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJBGV2nHf5U&feature=related
http://www.sinodefence.com/army/surfacetoairmissile/qw2.asp
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://conspiracyx0.tripod.com/weapons3/stinger1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://conspiracyx0.tripod.com/weapons3/Stinger.htm&h=277&w=416&sz=45&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=sD0qTJGExWrPnM:&tbnh=83&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dportable%2Bsurface%2Bto%2Bair%2Bmissile%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
I agree with all of you. Thai has never done good thing to Cambodia. Thai' leaders dont want UN's involvement because they don't want the World to see their illegal greed. They don't want to resolve problem through justice system. They want to use their superior economic and military to suppress Cambodian leaders. What they want is to have bi-laterial talk and prolong the situation.
So please, Cambodian leaders should not be going into Thai's trap.
Just forget these siem faggots they don't have anything smart to say.
Just push for Hun Sen to be more hotter in the siem invasion.
This is no joke it's our territory that is at stake if the CPP keep dragging their feet.
I'm kind of irritated by a shameful Thai talking about F14 and F16. Remember that Cambodian army can survive a long garilla war. Thai will be suffered a war that it has never experienced before.
Just forget about that siem asshole is he head is full of shit.
An F-14 and F-16 is not very use full with a jungle area and it can be shutdown easily with anti-aircraft rockets.
Just post comment to push for the assistance of UN so we can kick the siem out of our land.
That mother fucker Hun Sen has his brain all numb.
True, but there aren't that much forest nowadays to protect anyone like it used to be. Better think again, fool.
In response to Thai Bitch at 8:15am. Open your slant eyed Thai bitch! US droped bombs on Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Iraq, and Afghanistan. And the US still failed. About you Thailand, once the bombs ran out, the former Khmer rouge and secret vietcong soldiers will invade Thailand. They will bucher your people!! and say good bye to Patani, Narathiwat, Songkla, and Yala. Don't mess with us, just watch your back. There alots of countries surround you that would like to see you burn in hell.
KhmerNy
To 8:15AM
Fool! You haven't been to Cambodian border just shut the fuck up! If the war broke out and if it drags for 2 to 3 years and the whole area is untouched by man and the shrubs can grow like small trees that are about 6 to 8 feet!
Don't forget that Cambodia is a tropical country and plants can grow real fast!
Stop lying, 9:26 and 9:16, Global Witness said that there is virtually no forest left in Cambodia. If you disagreed, tell them. Don't tell me. I just took their words for it.
Dear all-- First of all, open your eyes wide. And go back to a moderntimes map. The Preah Vihear land is in Thailand's watershed-- the natural and legal borderhine in accordance with international laws. The French-- the Khmer's former rule have done a mess on the border issue with Thialand, formerly Siam. It's a bloody heritage left by the Westeners hunting for lands more tha a hundred years ago. Will you sleep well if Vietrnam or Laos claim that a piece of land in your natural boundary belonging to them? Should we try to find a peaceful solution to this? Are you sure to test a war with the moghtier Thailand? Then stop howling at the moon, leave your computer desk and go to Preah Vihear.
Do not underestimate AIR POWER.Aircrafts are always used to support ground troop.Aircrafts can take out heavy guns,tanks ,drop bombs and virtually destroyed everything to pave the way for ground troop to assault and take over enemies.Israel had Air superiority over Arabs and won the battle every time.In Afghanistan's war,the northern alliances encircled the Taliban in one place and called on B-52 to drop the fat bomb on them and the result was horrible.Thousands were dead.
I think Thailand should give the monkey in Cambodia a demonstration by sending the temple to them in Cambodia over the 600 meters cliff.
Post a Comment