By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Thai efforts to resolve the boundary conflict with Cambodia bilaterally have failed, with international bodies including the United Nations Security Council and Asean now involved in the matter.
The skirmishes from February 4-7 killed at least eight people, including a Thai civilian, and damaged properties including the World Heritage-listed Preah Vihear Temple.
Unlike in past clashes in 2008 and 2009, the UN Security Council has not been deterred from taking up the issue.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen consistently called for the UN body to convene an urgent meeting to stop "Thailand's aggression". At the same time, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva wrote to the UN reiterating Thailand's commitment to end the dispute using a bilateral framework.
Bangkok suggested the Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) should resume its work negotiating boundary demarcation by the end of this month, though the exact date has yet to be confirmed. The Cambodians are not likely in the mood to sit down and talk right now.
Hun Sen's strategy to internationalise the issue appears to have worked. The Security Council has requested that its secretariat provide a brief about the situation on Monday and invited Asean chairman Marty Natalegawa, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong to attend.
"The Asean chair's attendance at the UNSC meeting represents an evolution of Asean's efforts to resolve bilateral disputes among its members as provided for by the Asean Charter," the bloc's secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said in a statement yesterday.
"This is particularly important as it will set a precedent for future Asean dispute settlement mechanisms."
The Security Council wants its meeting on Monday to boost and complement regional and bilateral efforts, rather than signal that those efforts have failed in any way, according to a UNSC update report.
"The [UNSC] members expressed support for the mediation efforts undertaken by the chair of Asean, the foreign minister of Indonesia, but expressed willingness to hold a Council meeting pending an assessment of the ongoing regional mediation efforts," the report said.
It remains unclear what the results of the UN meeting will be. Security Council president Maria Luiza Viotti, a Brazilian ambassador, will consult with Kasit and Hor Namhong on the format of the meeting later, the report said.
Hun Sen has asked the UN to send peacekeeping forces to create a buffer zone at the disputed border area adjacent to Preah Vihear, which he claims was damaged by artillery shells from Thailand.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has proposed sending an urgent mission to inspect the temple, but Thailand opposes the visit.
"Concerning the current situation at the border, we believe the Unesco mission now is not appropriate and makes the issue more complicated," said Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi.
If the Unesco mission really wanted to visit the site, it would need permission from the Thai authorities, since it would have to access the temple via land under the sovereignty of Thailand, he said.
The Hindu temple of Preah Vihear, as ruled by the International Court of Justice in 1962, is situated on territory under sovereignty of Cambodia, though Thailand has argued that it possesses the surrounding areas.
The temple has been at the core of conflict between the two neighbours since last century. In 2008, tensions rose after Unesco listed the temple as a World Heritage site in the face of Thai disagreement.
Abhisit's government hoped the border skirmish would result in the suspension of the Preah Vihear World Heritage listing.
Thailand's JBC chief, Asda Jayanama, will meet with the director of Unesco in Paris today to explain the Thai position on the temple.
8 comments:
At time dont forget about east border with yuons specially about millions of illegal viet migrants and how yuons exploit Cambodia and rob all Khmer people resources while leave Khmer people with emtpy hands
How about another yuons killing filed called K5 and the killing field itself to which yuons were patrons, monitor and architects and profiteers?
I try to find any from kmer side but i can't find any..whers is a TVK news?they bussy to colect the money or what?
Youn got nice pussy, let them come in to cambo so we can sell them to thailand
The intervention of the UN and ASEAN Bodies would be good deal. Thailand should not worry of what you have done.
However, the world know clearly about the political Thai characters, with aggressiveness and arrogance to their neighbour countries like Burma, Lao and Cambodia.
History of Thailand is an international thief stealing lands, forest, properties, logging and including the temples from their neighbour countries from Burma, Lao and Cambodia, in which they have today.
This greedyless and shameless of Thailand still attempts to still the Cambodian land and its beloved and holly Temple of Khmer Preah Vihear. Though the temple had been approved and inscribed by the International Communities (lead by UNESCO) but Thai shows their aggressiveness and not respect to the legal action internationally.
It is now time to peal off the the tricky, the cheating behavior of Thailand and their young stupid and aggressive leader, for the world to see it.
Cambodia is not concerned at all, since Cambodia is doing thing on the right way and well respect to the International Action.
Why stupid Thai not follow Cambodia as the model in many aspect, including way of expression in the public... Cambodia need peace for one and for the long run....
Since the Thai border go to the UN let talk about million of youns in srok Khmer amd the youn's border. Are we just except whatever the youn say ? or we listen to the people who live their whole lives along the border?? and use the proper map.
Or the government are willingly to betray the Cambodian by just except what the youn say. Cambodians all over the country and the world still remember what Hun Sen said. This what he said : Cambodian will not lose a centimeter of land to the Youn. So make sure you keep your word. Lying will be bad for you and your government.
Samdech HUN SEN is really our great leader. I honestly call for all Young Khmer Generation support him in order to protect and develop Cambodia. All Khmer must be United.
Why do Fact Finding Mission of UNESCO need permission from Thailand to visit Preah Vihear Temple as the Temple is situated in Cambodia territory ( ICJ's Ruling on 15 June 1962? Or Thailand wanted to COVER-UP.
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