ANSLEY NG
ansley@mediacorp.com.sg
MediaCorp Press
THAILAND and Cambodia have agreed to “exert utmost efforts” to find a peaceful solution to their border conflict at a disputed temple, Singapore’s Foreign Minister George Yeo said yesterday.
The armed standoff has overshadowed the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) foreign ministers’ annual talks, which opened in Singapore yesterday with calls for the neighbours to find a peaceful solution. “Both sides affirmed that they would abide by their Asean and international obligations and exert their utmost efforts to find a peaceful solution to the issue,” Mr Yeo said in a statement.
The position taken by both countries reduces the serious possibility of a flare-up in the area where more than 500 Thai troops and well over 1,000 Cambodian soldiers are stationed around a small Buddhist pagoda leading to the ruins of an 11th-century temple. Nearby land in the area is claimed by both sides.
“We urged both sides to exercise utmost restraint and resolve this issue amicably in the spirit of Asean solidarity and good neighbourliness,” Mr Yeo said last night after :after an informal opening dinner at the Botanic Gardens.
“Recognising the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region, the Asean foreign ministers also decided to offer its facilities to be placed at the disposal of Cambodia and Thailand, in the event that they felt the need for further support to find an early resolution,” he said.
Defence officials from both countries plan to meet on the border today to try to defuse the crisis.”We hope ... they will find a way to defuse the situation,” said Mr Yeo.
Mr Yeo gave his assessment of the situation as he spoke to reporters with :Thai deputy prime minister Sahas Bunditkul and Cambodian First Secretary of State Kao Kim Hourn the Asean leaders by his side.
Mr Yeo added that Cambodia had informed the United Nations Security Council of its position because the matter “has hit the international headlines”.
Despite the assurance by both sides to find a peaceful resolution, a veteran Southeast Asian watcher, :Mr Carl Thayer, of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre of the Australian National University, has warned that the armed standoff between Thailand and Cambodia could easily escalate.
“Nobody wants to have this disturbing the region,” he said. “I think there will be all kinds of pressure” on the two sides to meet privately to settle it.
Mr Thayer said he was concerned about the command and control of the forces.
Reports say Cambodian troops have been banned from drinking wine to avoid any shooting.
“Once you have military forces like that... you have to be highly disciplined,” Mr Thayer said, expressing fears about a possible miscalculation. “They could precipitate what the politicians don’t want.”
He said it is difficult to recall the last similar incident when armed forces in the region were in a border standoff.
Mr Thayer believes the last time was in the late 1980s when Laos and Thailand ended up shooting over an island between them that was only visible at low tide. But the dispute quickly ended after a Thai plane was shot down, he said.
Thailand said yesterday the dispute should be resolved through negotiations, but a top Cambodian general said he had little faith in talks.
The border talks today -- what transpires between the Asean foreign ministers -- could do much to resolve this difficult impasse, analaysts said.
The armed standoff has overshadowed the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) foreign ministers’ annual talks, which opened in Singapore yesterday with calls for the neighbours to find a peaceful solution. “Both sides affirmed that they would abide by their Asean and international obligations and exert their utmost efforts to find a peaceful solution to the issue,” Mr Yeo said in a statement.
The position taken by both countries reduces the serious possibility of a flare-up in the area where more than 500 Thai troops and well over 1,000 Cambodian soldiers are stationed around a small Buddhist pagoda leading to the ruins of an 11th-century temple. Nearby land in the area is claimed by both sides.
“We urged both sides to exercise utmost restraint and resolve this issue amicably in the spirit of Asean solidarity and good neighbourliness,” Mr Yeo said last night after :after an informal opening dinner at the Botanic Gardens.
“Recognising the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region, the Asean foreign ministers also decided to offer its facilities to be placed at the disposal of Cambodia and Thailand, in the event that they felt the need for further support to find an early resolution,” he said.
Defence officials from both countries plan to meet on the border today to try to defuse the crisis.”We hope ... they will find a way to defuse the situation,” said Mr Yeo.
Mr Yeo gave his assessment of the situation as he spoke to reporters with :Thai deputy prime minister Sahas Bunditkul and Cambodian First Secretary of State Kao Kim Hourn the Asean leaders by his side.
Mr Yeo added that Cambodia had informed the United Nations Security Council of its position because the matter “has hit the international headlines”.
Despite the assurance by both sides to find a peaceful resolution, a veteran Southeast Asian watcher, :Mr Carl Thayer, of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre of the Australian National University, has warned that the armed standoff between Thailand and Cambodia could easily escalate.
“Nobody wants to have this disturbing the region,” he said. “I think there will be all kinds of pressure” on the two sides to meet privately to settle it.
Mr Thayer said he was concerned about the command and control of the forces.
Reports say Cambodian troops have been banned from drinking wine to avoid any shooting.
“Once you have military forces like that... you have to be highly disciplined,” Mr Thayer said, expressing fears about a possible miscalculation. “They could precipitate what the politicians don’t want.”
He said it is difficult to recall the last similar incident when armed forces in the region were in a border standoff.
Mr Thayer believes the last time was in the late 1980s when Laos and Thailand ended up shooting over an island between them that was only visible at low tide. But the dispute quickly ended after a Thai plane was shot down, he said.
Thailand said yesterday the dispute should be resolved through negotiations, but a top Cambodian general said he had little faith in talks.
The border talks today -- what transpires between the Asean foreign ministers -- could do much to resolve this difficult impasse, analaysts said.
2 comments:
No negotiation,no talk,no discussion with invaders period until they withdraw to their side first.Thai already violated US.Normally, if they invade us by force,we should eject them by force too.Negotiation with the intruders is the sign of weakness.
The spirit of the ASEAN is for the Thai to justify their invasion.
The delaying of the crisis will permit the Siam government use it as a strong argument to justify that this was really a disputed area. They will bend the International Law to their advantage.
Cambodia need to file for the UN assistance promptly.
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