Phnom Penh (dpa) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations could play a key role in resolving an ongoing border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, outgoing US ambassador to Cambodia Joseph Mussomeli said at a press conference Monday.
Mussomeli, who is ending a three-year mission, said the US favoured a bilateral solution between the two neighbours over disputed territory on the northern Cambodian border.
"Cambodia and Thailand are neighbours and they will stay with each other forever," he told reporters. "Thailand needs Cambodia and Cambodia needs Thailand.
"But if bilateral negotiations fail, if after every effort you cannot find a solution, it is time to consider the option of the United Nations Security Council."
He also said one step that had been overlooked in the negotiation process which could help ensure the dispute was solved within Asian parameters was the 10-member Asean, of which both sides are members.
"That is one thing Asean could do to make itself really effective," he said.
Tensions arose last month shortly after UNESCO declared the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, around 300 kilometres from the capital, a World Heritage site over Thai objections.
Thailand sent troops into what it says is disputed territory near the temple and Cambodia says is sovereign territory.
At the end of July, Cambodia made fresh claims that Thai troops had also moved into the Ta Moan temple complex, 150 kilometres west, but Thailand disputed that, saying it had held the area for years.
Mussomeli, who is ending a three-year mission, said the US favoured a bilateral solution between the two neighbours over disputed territory on the northern Cambodian border.
"Cambodia and Thailand are neighbours and they will stay with each other forever," he told reporters. "Thailand needs Cambodia and Cambodia needs Thailand.
"But if bilateral negotiations fail, if after every effort you cannot find a solution, it is time to consider the option of the United Nations Security Council."
He also said one step that had been overlooked in the negotiation process which could help ensure the dispute was solved within Asian parameters was the 10-member Asean, of which both sides are members.
"That is one thing Asean could do to make itself really effective," he said.
Tensions arose last month shortly after UNESCO declared the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, around 300 kilometres from the capital, a World Heritage site over Thai objections.
Thailand sent troops into what it says is disputed territory near the temple and Cambodia says is sovereign territory.
At the end of July, Cambodia made fresh claims that Thai troops had also moved into the Ta Moan temple complex, 150 kilometres west, but Thailand disputed that, saying it had held the area for years.
3 comments:
agree with ambassador mussomeli. otherwise, what is the use or purpose of having ASEAN if they are not put into work to solve problems between its member states? yes, do not rule out the UN council either, however consult it as a last resort when all else has failed in the name of of the international law that existed to govern international boundary lines in all the world's countries. again, thailand must respect the treaty of 1907, no matter how it thinks about it because i'm sure cambodia have the same thinking like thailand, but the difference is cambodia respect the international treaties, unlike thailand who violated the 1907 treaty saying it is unfair or whatever. what about cambodia, we lost so much land already due to this same treaty. just look at the some khmer provinces in thailand today and in khmer krom provinces and koh tral etc... in southern vietnam. if anyone to complain, it is cambodia, not thailand or vietnam. so, respect the map of the treaty of 1907 and stop violating that treaty with a bunch of lame excuses or whatever, thailand!!!!! that is if thailand still want cambodia to cooperate. otherwise, don't expect in return of peace from cambodia when thailand keeps on violating the treaty of 1907 that actually demarcate the present international boundary lines of cambodia with all of our neighbors. remember, without this treaty of 1907, we would not any border lines. so, respect that!!!
If Gen. Suato of Indonesia was alife he could solve this problem immediatly.
I agree with 1:52 AM. Hun Sen's govt should appreciate ex-US ambassador, Mussoleni's recommendations. It's imparative to adhere to the existing 1904 and 1907 and the following protocols on border demarcation between the two countries. The govt must maintain in any pre-arrangement on border talk about possible use of ASEAN mechanism and UN as its last resort to solve the border issues when the bilateral efforts are exhausted.
Any border talks without respecting the legacy of Franco-Siam treatries, Cambodia will only put herselft into Siam's expansionism tatics on this border talks...
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