By PRADIT RUANGDIT and MANOP THIP-OSOD
Bangkok Post
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban is to explain Thailand's stance against the unilateral listing of the Preah Vihear temple to Cambodian Premier Hun Sen.
Yesterday's decision by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva comes after Hun Sen showed regret over the Thai move to reiterate its opposition to the decision by the World Heritage Committee (WHC) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) last year on approving the Cambodian application for listing.
Mr Abhisit said he and the Cambodian prime minister had not been in contact since the Thai government decided to make its move on the issue in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Mr Abhisit did not raise the issue in talks with Hun Sen during his visit to Phnom Penh on June 12.
The premier was optimistic that the issue would not lead to a new military conflict between the two countries as efforts were being made to improve bilateral understanding.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti left for Spain on Thursday leading Thai officials to talks with the WHC and Unesco in Seville, where the committee will start its meeting tomorrow.
He is scheduled to meet with committee chairwoman Maria Jesus San Segundo of Spain prior to its annual meeting, according to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.
Mr Suwit would raise Thailand's objection to the unilateral listing of the ancient Hindu temple, he added.
The key message to deliver to the committee would be that Unesco's approval of the listing is not fair to Thailand, said Mr Kasit.
"This is a matter between Thailand and the World Heritage Committee and Unesco, not between Thailand and Cambodia," he said, echoing Mr Suthep's statement made on Friday.
Preah Vihear, which is called Phra Viharn in Thai, was granted to Cambodia in a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling. Thailand and Cambodia claim the land around the temple area.
In the Seville meeting which runs until June 30, the committee will consider requests for the inscription of new sites on Unesco's World Heritage List and examine the state of conservation of sites already on the list.
Thailand is an observer to the meeting of the 21-member WHC.
Yesterday's decision by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva comes after Hun Sen showed regret over the Thai move to reiterate its opposition to the decision by the World Heritage Committee (WHC) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) last year on approving the Cambodian application for listing.
Mr Abhisit said he and the Cambodian prime minister had not been in contact since the Thai government decided to make its move on the issue in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Mr Abhisit did not raise the issue in talks with Hun Sen during his visit to Phnom Penh on June 12.
The premier was optimistic that the issue would not lead to a new military conflict between the two countries as efforts were being made to improve bilateral understanding.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti left for Spain on Thursday leading Thai officials to talks with the WHC and Unesco in Seville, where the committee will start its meeting tomorrow.
He is scheduled to meet with committee chairwoman Maria Jesus San Segundo of Spain prior to its annual meeting, according to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.
Mr Suwit would raise Thailand's objection to the unilateral listing of the ancient Hindu temple, he added.
The key message to deliver to the committee would be that Unesco's approval of the listing is not fair to Thailand, said Mr Kasit.
"This is a matter between Thailand and the World Heritage Committee and Unesco, not between Thailand and Cambodia," he said, echoing Mr Suthep's statement made on Friday.
Preah Vihear, which is called Phra Viharn in Thai, was granted to Cambodia in a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling. Thailand and Cambodia claim the land around the temple area.
In the Seville meeting which runs until June 30, the committee will consider requests for the inscription of new sites on Unesco's World Heritage List and examine the state of conservation of sites already on the list.
Thailand is an observer to the meeting of the 21-member WHC.
2 comments:
Keep dreaming Mr. Thai PM , Buddha will punish this Thai nation. Just let the world know more about your stupid Thai nation.
It is interesting the joung un-experience Thai displomats. They say they will not need to talk with Cambodia but then the Guy named Suthep, who accepted was grew in Battmbang would like to come and talk again. Stupid Thai PM and Deputy PM. They said they will not need to talk with Cambodia while they wnat to raise the issue of Preah Vihear of Cambodia to UNESCO. They are real stupid thieves.
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