Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
The United Nations Security Council is to convene a special session to try to prevent a border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia from escalating into a military conflict, diplomats have said.
The special session will probably be held next week, after Cambodia appealed to the UN for help and warned that war appeared imminent.
"We are worried by the situation and by the potential tension due to the situation raising around the temple," Jean-Maurice Ripert, the French ambassador to the UN, told reporters on Wednesday.
"We are in charge of peace and security... So, if we can diffuse the tensions and if we can prevent any development that could be dramatic for the region and for peace and security, we will do it and we think we have to do it."
On Tuesday the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) declined a Cambodian request to help resolve the dispute after Thailand objected.
The conflict focuses on an area of land of just over 5 sq km surrounding the 11th century Khmer era Preah Vihear temple.
Ownership of the temple itself was awarded to Cambodia by an international court in 1962, but the ownership of the surrounding land has remained in dispute.
The recent listing of the temple as a UN World Heritage site has revived nationalist tensions in Thailand and Cambodia.
In Thailand critics of the country's prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, say the government's backing of Cambodia's application for World Heritage status undercut Thailand's claim to land around the temple.
In Cambodia meanwhile, with elections due on July 27, the dispute has become a matter of national pride.
Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas, reporting from Phnom Penh, said the row has stirred popular sentiment with calls growing for a boycott of Thai products and candidates from all parties seizing on the issue.
Riot police equipped with water canon have been deployed outside the Thai embassy in the Cambodian capital in case rising nationalist fervour leads to violence.
The two sides have between them deployed about 4,000 troops in the area surrounding the Preah Vihear temple.
Both countries have said they will not resort to force, but with nerves on edge diplomats fear that even the smallest misunderstanding could spark a deadly exchange.
On Monday talks between Thai and Cambodian defence officials in Bangkok broke down without any agreement.
The special session will probably be held next week, after Cambodia appealed to the UN for help and warned that war appeared imminent.
"We are worried by the situation and by the potential tension due to the situation raising around the temple," Jean-Maurice Ripert, the French ambassador to the UN, told reporters on Wednesday.
"We are in charge of peace and security... So, if we can diffuse the tensions and if we can prevent any development that could be dramatic for the region and for peace and security, we will do it and we think we have to do it."
On Tuesday the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) declined a Cambodian request to help resolve the dispute after Thailand objected.
The conflict focuses on an area of land of just over 5 sq km surrounding the 11th century Khmer era Preah Vihear temple.
Ownership of the temple itself was awarded to Cambodia by an international court in 1962, but the ownership of the surrounding land has remained in dispute.
The recent listing of the temple as a UN World Heritage site has revived nationalist tensions in Thailand and Cambodia.
In Thailand critics of the country's prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, say the government's backing of Cambodia's application for World Heritage status undercut Thailand's claim to land around the temple.
In Cambodia meanwhile, with elections due on July 27, the dispute has become a matter of national pride.
Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas, reporting from Phnom Penh, said the row has stirred popular sentiment with calls growing for a boycott of Thai products and candidates from all parties seizing on the issue.
Riot police equipped with water canon have been deployed outside the Thai embassy in the Cambodian capital in case rising nationalist fervour leads to violence.
The two sides have between them deployed about 4,000 troops in the area surrounding the Preah Vihear temple.
Both countries have said they will not resort to force, but with nerves on edge diplomats fear that even the smallest misunderstanding could spark a deadly exchange.
On Monday talks between Thai and Cambodian defence officials in Bangkok broke down without any agreement.
7 comments:
This is good news. A blow to Thailand who insists to slove through bilatoral talk.
However, we have to wait and see the result of the meeting as to what recommendation or measures against the aggression Thais.
In this situation, Cambodians from all factions must unite to get back our land from Thailand.
Kong Moeung
UN must impose economic sanctions against Thailand until their military withdraw from Cambodian territory.
Thai military expedition in Preah Vihear this July/08 is the same situation as Ban Romklao in Laos in 88 where the Thais think they can just use their force to bully and encroach on their neighbor's territory. Laos had to send 600 body bags to Thailand. If the Thais don't retreat, we will see 60,000 body bags being sent back to Thailand!
What ashame to see a nation such as Thailand does not respect international law.
Why does anyone ashame about Thais?
Thais are from black river, they robbed Khmer empire and stold Khmer culture. Just look at Thai royal dress. Thai King wears the same as Hindu Khmer Kings and the languages in Royal Thai are Khmers.
Why does anone expect Thais to respect Internatioanl law if Thai King broke Thai Constitutional Law? Bhumibol broke the Law by made a coup d'etat againt the elected official government Thaksin, and last year Bhumibol secretely created PAD' s neo-Nazis to cause troubles in Thailand. Bhumibol controls and rules over military and he and his family are gods.
11:55
your are fucking Thai. I don't care the shit you said.
How can you let big fish negotiate with small fish? If that is the case, big fish will eat small fish!
Outside intervention is necessary. Thailand is a deceptive country and will use all its means to fool the world. The present chair of ASEAN is a Thai (Surin Pitsuwan). ASEAN wants nothing to do with the conflict. Only international law of the UN is deemed necessary to safeguard law and order. It must act fast to prevent a war.
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