BANGKOK, July 23 (TNA) - Thailand's foreign ministry can defend the country's position regarding its dispute with Phnom Penh over the ancient mountaintop temple on every platform where Cambodia lodges complaints, spokesman Tharit Charungvat said Wednesday, announcing that the ministry will soon issue a white paper on the subject.
Thailand informed United Nations members of its stance on the dispute with Cambodia over the contested zone a few days ago through Bangkok's ambassador to the UN, Don Pramudwinai, and has discussed the issue with Security Council and other UN members "on a regular basis," Mr. Tharit said.
"Cambodia has fielded a strong lobby and so has Thailand. However, it is up to the UN Security Council whether to accept the issue (submitted by Cambodia) for consideration. Thailand has reiterated that the problem should be settled by the two countries," Mr. Tharit said.
If bilateral talks fail, then the issue should be forwarded for discussion at the regional level before being sent to the UN, he said.
Several countries have already objected to attempts by Cambodia to bring the issue for discussion among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations as they believed the problem could be settled by the two countries, Mr. Tharit said.
What Cambodia had done would negatively impact upon ASEAN, he said. Nevertheless, its complaint to international platforms would not disadvantage Thailand, he said.
Both Thailand and Cambodia are members of ASEAN, whose foreign ministers are now meeting in Singapore. All except Thailand, that is, where the position is currently vacant.
The regional body has rejected Cambodia's request that ASEAN intervene to help end the dispute, saying that Thailand and Cambodia should give the bilateral process a chance to end their spat over the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area.
The disputed land 4.6 square kilometres claimed both by Kanthalarak district in Thailand's Si Sa Ket province and Cambodia's Preah Vihear province. It is located near Preah Vihear temple, awarded a World Heritage site listing by UNESCO earlier this month.
The 11th century Khmer temple itself was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, but the ruling did not address the disputed area, Mr. Tharit said earlier.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs legal team is studying the mandate and powers of the Court.
Mr. Don said Cambodia asked the UN Security Council to meet over the issue on July 28 despite Thailand's objection, but Bangkok is pondering further moves pending the body's response.
The council meets Thursday and will decide whether to act on the Cambodian petition, Mr. Don said.
Stressing that Thai-Cambodian relations remain warm, Mr. Tharit said the foreign ministry planned to issue a "white paper" to clarify the dispute.
Thailand informed United Nations members of its stance on the dispute with Cambodia over the contested zone a few days ago through Bangkok's ambassador to the UN, Don Pramudwinai, and has discussed the issue with Security Council and other UN members "on a regular basis," Mr. Tharit said.
"Cambodia has fielded a strong lobby and so has Thailand. However, it is up to the UN Security Council whether to accept the issue (submitted by Cambodia) for consideration. Thailand has reiterated that the problem should be settled by the two countries," Mr. Tharit said.
If bilateral talks fail, then the issue should be forwarded for discussion at the regional level before being sent to the UN, he said.
Several countries have already objected to attempts by Cambodia to bring the issue for discussion among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations as they believed the problem could be settled by the two countries, Mr. Tharit said.
What Cambodia had done would negatively impact upon ASEAN, he said. Nevertheless, its complaint to international platforms would not disadvantage Thailand, he said.
Both Thailand and Cambodia are members of ASEAN, whose foreign ministers are now meeting in Singapore. All except Thailand, that is, where the position is currently vacant.
The regional body has rejected Cambodia's request that ASEAN intervene to help end the dispute, saying that Thailand and Cambodia should give the bilateral process a chance to end their spat over the 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area.
The disputed land 4.6 square kilometres claimed both by Kanthalarak district in Thailand's Si Sa Ket province and Cambodia's Preah Vihear province. It is located near Preah Vihear temple, awarded a World Heritage site listing by UNESCO earlier this month.
The 11th century Khmer temple itself was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, but the ruling did not address the disputed area, Mr. Tharit said earlier.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs legal team is studying the mandate and powers of the Court.
Mr. Don said Cambodia asked the UN Security Council to meet over the issue on July 28 despite Thailand's objection, but Bangkok is pondering further moves pending the body's response.
The council meets Thursday and will decide whether to act on the Cambodian petition, Mr. Don said.
Stressing that Thai-Cambodian relations remain warm, Mr. Tharit said the foreign ministry planned to issue a "white paper" to clarify the dispute.
11 comments:
to repeat shakespeare's line: because there is something fishy in thailand, that's why they resisted the UN council with their lame excuses. trust me, cambodia will prevail in the world arena and the court of law. be afraid, thailand, be very afraid! god bless cambodia.
why is thailand keep on saying "bilateral talks"? what bilateral talks? damage has been done already with their meddling in cambodia's listing of preah vihear, and look they failed to block it. so, what bilateral talks are they talking about? the one the dreamt about last night, perhaps!!! there is no bilateral talk without cambodia's participation!!! they must be on illegal drugs again!!! typical of thailand, isn't it? god bless cambodia.
because thailand knows well that the international diplomatic community don't buy their lame excuses, that's why! god bless cambodia.
as always, thailand approach in the international arena is very much questionable. in other words, they have lame excuses! everybody in the world don't buy it. god bless cambodia.
The thai government see the three monkeys in cambodia are so dangerious to thailand because they are the vietnames poppets. The three monkeys is still allowed the vietmanes occupy cambodia. The vietnames can be at the thai and china at any time. Do you all get it?
what is the bilateral talk all about? Accpeting unilateral map drawn by Siem to blunder Khmer land? What the hell !!!
Thailand will prevail because they are on the side of the truth. That is the temple and the surrounding area belong to Khmer people in Issan Province. No dumb French treaty will defeated that unless you are a Nazi.
Issan Province is it's Khmer land or not?,I don't Understand Preah Vihear been there for along Century why don't Thai Government try to restore the temple.Now we are Khmer put our ruin ancient temple(Preah Vihear)for the World Hertage,If Thai Government do not agree with this Verdict International Court.
Thai Government need to go to international court to solve this matter.This is i realy don't understand ;why are you angry?,If this ancient temple restore and build alot of hotel around the temple ;I think it's good for every body bussiness and attract tourist around the world.Now this temple belong to World Hertage and Thai not lose any thing.You will gain more profit from the tourist.Do you know tourist need to fly to see this ancient temple some come thru Cambodia and whole lot more come thru Thailand.
Please think about it.I am just simple person that love the world.
Issan Province was Khmer's Province, but Khmer Leu's Province, not Khmer Kandal's Province. Do you see the distinct difference?
Yes!,But you can't mix water with oil.The answer going to be the same,Now you need to make the decision for your people not for yourself.Our life is to short,We need to be healthy to see the future maybe humankind can find another world that have life. Do you agree?
Watch your back Cambodia there are too much Thai troops along our border. We better reinforce our border, especially with the election near.
The Hun Sen government should not turn it back to Thai troops, they might stab us.
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