Thursday, July 03, 2008

Thai FM to attend UNESCO meeting

BANGKOK, July 2 (TNA) - Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said Wednesday he would attend the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)'s World Heritage Committee annual session in Canada's Quebec City which began Wednesday and believed that the Phnom Penh government would apply to register the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site.

Reiterating that Ministry of Foreign Affairs would strictly adhere to the temporary injunction issued by Thailand's Administrative Court on June 28 suspending the Thai cabinet's endorsement of a Cambodian map of Preah Vihear temple as well as the Thai-Cambodian joint communique, Mr. Noppadon said he and senior officials would leave Bangkok on Saturday and attend the UNESCO meeting in Quebec which ends on July 10.

The Thai cabinet endorsed the Cambodian map on the temple on June 17 while the joint communique was signed by Mr. Noppadon and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An the following day.

Because of the court's injunction, Mr. Noppadon said he could not provide support to Cambodia in its bid to apply for the temple as a World Heritage site.

He said his ministry had officially sent letters stating the Thai government's stance to the Cambodian government, UNESCO, representatives of the World Heritage Committee, the Thai ambassador to Canada and Thai representatives attending the session on Tuesday, informing them of the temporary injunction issued by the Administrative Court.

The Cambodian ambassador to Thailand received a similar letter personally on Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Noppadon said, adding that he hoped the court order would not affect relations between the two neighbouring countries.

The Phnom Penh government is expected to apply for the registration of the ancient temple during the session, Mr. Noppadon said, without elaborating.

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