Saturday July 05, 2008
KING-OUA LAOHONG, ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT & WASSANA NANUAM
Bangkok Post
Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama yesterday told the Constitution Court it was the previous Surayud Chulanont administration that had pushed to support Cambodia's registration of the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site, not himself.
Mr Noppadon said the previous government made the commitment on behalf of Thailand during the 31st meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Christchurch, New Zealand, between June 23 and July 2 last year.
The military-installed government promised to support Cambodia's bid to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site at the meeting of the World Heritage Committee, Mr Noppadon told the media after the court hearing.
The court yesterday called Mr Noppadon to testify on the issue after separate petitions by a group of senators and the opposition Democrat party, asking whether the joint communique Mr Noppadon signed to support Cambodia getting the temple listed as a World Heritage Site without parliament's endorsement violated the constitution.
Mr Noppadon said he was concerned that even though he would nullify the joint communique he signed, the nullification may not have any effect on the listing process as the Surayud government had supported the listing since last year.
''Although I can withdraw the joint communique, the fact is that Thailand had given support to Cambodia [for the temple listing] since 2007,'' the foreign minister said.
Mr Noppadon is to ask the 21-nation World Heritage Committee to defer considering the listing of Preah Vihear temple. The committee is expected to start its consideration of the temple issue on Sunday during a Unesco meeting in Quebec, Canada.
Mr Noppadon claimed the joint communique he signed with Cambodia has no effect on Thai territory, and the communique is not legally binding on Thailand, unlike international treaties which require parliament's endorsement.
The document only set out a framework for negotiation between the two countries. The Foreign Ministry and Cambodia did not want it to be an agreement, so the constitution has not been violated, said Mr Noppadon.
The Constitution Court starts its official hearing on the case on Monday.
Meanwhile, a 61-page White Paper prepared by the Foreign Ministry in an attempt to clarify the ministry's role shows some differences with Mr Noppadon's statements.
The paper says Thailand lobbied the World Heritage Committee in 2007 in Christchurch, New Zealand, informing the committee that Thailand did not oppose Cambodia's proposal to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site.
''Thailand was only concerned that if Thailand and Cambodia have not agreed in principle on how to systematically manage the overlapping zones around the area, the preservation and conservation of Preah Vihear in practical terms could not be embarked without obstacles or could not be implemented at all despite being listed as a World Heritage Site,'' page 10 of the paper says.
The White Paper was abruptly withdrawn from the foreign ministry's website only one day after it has been posted there.
The president of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, Det-udom Krairit, yesterday issued a statement saying his council viewed the joint communique signed by Mr Noppadon as a kind of international agreement under Article 190 of the constitution.
He threatened that the council would take legal action against all relevant authorities if they cause any damage to Thai sovereignty.
Mr Noppadon said the previous government made the commitment on behalf of Thailand during the 31st meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Christchurch, New Zealand, between June 23 and July 2 last year.
The military-installed government promised to support Cambodia's bid to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site at the meeting of the World Heritage Committee, Mr Noppadon told the media after the court hearing.
The court yesterday called Mr Noppadon to testify on the issue after separate petitions by a group of senators and the opposition Democrat party, asking whether the joint communique Mr Noppadon signed to support Cambodia getting the temple listed as a World Heritage Site without parliament's endorsement violated the constitution.
Mr Noppadon said he was concerned that even though he would nullify the joint communique he signed, the nullification may not have any effect on the listing process as the Surayud government had supported the listing since last year.
''Although I can withdraw the joint communique, the fact is that Thailand had given support to Cambodia [for the temple listing] since 2007,'' the foreign minister said.
Mr Noppadon is to ask the 21-nation World Heritage Committee to defer considering the listing of Preah Vihear temple. The committee is expected to start its consideration of the temple issue on Sunday during a Unesco meeting in Quebec, Canada.
Mr Noppadon claimed the joint communique he signed with Cambodia has no effect on Thai territory, and the communique is not legally binding on Thailand, unlike international treaties which require parliament's endorsement.
The document only set out a framework for negotiation between the two countries. The Foreign Ministry and Cambodia did not want it to be an agreement, so the constitution has not been violated, said Mr Noppadon.
The Constitution Court starts its official hearing on the case on Monday.
Meanwhile, a 61-page White Paper prepared by the Foreign Ministry in an attempt to clarify the ministry's role shows some differences with Mr Noppadon's statements.
The paper says Thailand lobbied the World Heritage Committee in 2007 in Christchurch, New Zealand, informing the committee that Thailand did not oppose Cambodia's proposal to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site.
''Thailand was only concerned that if Thailand and Cambodia have not agreed in principle on how to systematically manage the overlapping zones around the area, the preservation and conservation of Preah Vihear in practical terms could not be embarked without obstacles or could not be implemented at all despite being listed as a World Heritage Site,'' page 10 of the paper says.
The White Paper was abruptly withdrawn from the foreign ministry's website only one day after it has been posted there.
The president of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, Det-udom Krairit, yesterday issued a statement saying his council viewed the joint communique signed by Mr Noppadon as a kind of international agreement under Article 190 of the constitution.
He threatened that the council would take legal action against all relevant authorities if they cause any damage to Thai sovereignty.
3 comments:
i guess siem thugs like to blame everybody; the france, cambodia, the icj verdict, unesco, and now their own previous gov't; and i'm sure the list doesn't end just yet, here. i guess our best bet is to ignore their childish tantrum. god bless cambodia.
The fucken Thaicong name is too long for nothing and by the time you completely pronounce their fucken name and you are out of breath! Yes out of breath!
Oh, stop crying; you'll get use to it in no time.
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