Gulf Daily News
A DECADES-OLD dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over ownership of a controversial temple could be settled in Bahrain.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has agreed to consider a Cambodian plan for managing the temple, which is located on land claimed by both countries.
Unesco's World Heritage Commission is now expected to reach a decision on the Preah Vihear temple during its meeting in Bahrain next year.
Thailand claims Cambodia's plan jeopardises its claim to disputed territory and threatened to quit Unesco if it was endorsed during a meeting in Brazil last week.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled the 10th Century border temple belonged to Cambodia, rejecting Thai claims.
Unesco named Preah Vihear a World Heritage Site in 2008 based on an application submitted by Cambodia, which re-ignited Thai resentment over the earlier ruling.
There have been small and sometimes deadly armed clashes in the area during the past few years, with leaders of both countries using the issue to stir up nationalist sentiment and shore up domestic political support.
In Thailand, nationalist pressure groups demonstrated last week for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to take a hard line against Cambodia and Unesco.
The two sides' military leaders spoke about strengthening their respective forces at the border in preparation for any incursions from the other side.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has agreed to consider a Cambodian plan for managing the temple, which is located on land claimed by both countries.
Unesco's World Heritage Commission is now expected to reach a decision on the Preah Vihear temple during its meeting in Bahrain next year.
Thailand claims Cambodia's plan jeopardises its claim to disputed territory and threatened to quit Unesco if it was endorsed during a meeting in Brazil last week.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled the 10th Century border temple belonged to Cambodia, rejecting Thai claims.
Unesco named Preah Vihear a World Heritage Site in 2008 based on an application submitted by Cambodia, which re-ignited Thai resentment over the earlier ruling.
There have been small and sometimes deadly armed clashes in the area during the past few years, with leaders of both countries using the issue to stir up nationalist sentiment and shore up domestic political support.
In Thailand, nationalist pressure groups demonstrated last week for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to take a hard line against Cambodia and Unesco.
The two sides' military leaders spoke about strengthening their respective forces at the border in preparation for any incursions from the other side.
4 comments:
The Temple and the surrounding land are located on the Cambodian side of the border and was final according to ICJ of 1962.
All international press should not be mislead by the Thais that this is a Hindu Temple. It has always been and will be a Khmer Temple of Hindu influence.
i hope it will be settle once and for all or permanently during next year's bahrain unesco meeting; otherwise, siem pad thugs will continue to harrass and menace cambodia with their border dispute illegal, lame excuses again. of course, when we have a well-defined borderline, then any bilateral talk, etc can rightfully take place without so much problem like undefined or ill-defined borderline, etc... also, unesco, please tell siem to respect the international law, the international treaty, the icj verdict, etc, etc... please educate siem that they cannot reverse the court's verdict and any show contempt of court will be used against them, period! yes, cambodia says siem or thailand needs a strong medicine to calm them down, and unesco and the UN body can do a lot to mediate or intervene to help in the name of responsible world citizens, etc... god bless cambodia and unesco.
oh and if siem brings up that illogical watershed of the dangrek moutain range as another lame excuse, unesco, please educate them that the rule of exception applies permanently because preah vihear happened to be located on the cliff top, thus it is and always will be an exception to the rule or theory in the legal internationally recognized map of 1907; and the map's time or age shouldn't be used as an issue by siem or thailand either! that's all!
Since Hun Sen was a Khmer Rouge commander, now a Khmer Rouge leader and had many of his political opponents and journalists assassinated, I wonder if he have any plan to assassinate the Thai Prime Minister (Ahbullshit Vejjajiva)?
Preah VIHEAR TEMPLE is not located on the dispute area idiot, its located on Cambodia territory.
Read the ICJ verdict.
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