By Niniek Karmini (AP)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Foreign ministers from Southeast Asia held emergency talks Tuesday on how to end a deadly standoff between Cambodia and Thailand near a disputed 11th century temple.
Each country has accused the other of starting the conflict — which has left at least eight people dead and displaced thousands — and disagree on how it should be settled.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen earlier demanded a cease-fire — an idea Thailand flatly rejected — but appeared to back off Tuesday saying he'd settle for the deployment of military observers to the remote, mountainous area.
While heading into talks with the two countries and the eight other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the only thing off the table was more fighting.
"We are meant to resolve our problems through negotiations," he told reporters. "We are waging peace. That's what we are doing, not waging war .... so that no more guns and artilleries make a sound in our region."
The conflict that erupted earlier this month — resulting in exchanges of small arms, mortars and artillery fire — is rooted in a decades-old border dispute near the Preah Vihear temple that has fueled nationalist passions on both sides.
The monument, which was built between the 9th and 11th centuries and sits atop a 1,722-foot (525-meter) cliff, was awarded to Cambodia by the World Court in 1962, but sovereignty over adjacent areas has never been clearly resolved.
Skirmishes have erupted several times since 2008, when Preah Vihear was awarded U.N. World Heritage status, but soldiers and locals say none has been as violent as the latest clash.
The U.N. Security Council expressed "grave concern" Monday and gave strong backing to the efforts of ASEAN — which usually refrains from interfering in the internal affairs of member states — to help end the dispute.
Natalegawa indicated the regional grouping was ready to step in and stand firm.
"I would like to make it absolutely clear that ... the option of conflict, the option of use of force, is not meant to be on the table," he said.
In the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, Hun Sen told university graduates he was ready to back off calls for a cease-fire, which would require a perhaps lengthy approval by the Thai parliament, if Bangkok agreed to the deployment of military observers.
"Signing a cease-fire is not necessary, but the arrival of observers ... is what's most important," he said, adding monitors would be welcome to all areas inside the Cambodian border, from the front lines to military camps and ammunition warehouses.
"They can inspect wherever and whenever they want."
While Hun Sen's has sought to shift the debate to an international stage, his Thai counterpart, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has pressed hard for a bilateral solution so it was not immediately clear what sway the Southeast Asian ministers might have.
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Associated Press reporter Sopheng Cheang contributed to this report from Phnom Penh.
3 comments:
Why do Kos Trol, sea and lands proximately over 10 000 km2 have been lost to Vietnam by who treaty? Why don’t Cambodia goverment transparencies explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 and what's about over 10 000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Kos Trol, Sea and lands over 10 000km2 have been lost to Vietnam by who treaty at 1979 to 1985 treaty! Treaty! Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protect a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group rather in the real name of protecting Khmer nation?
Cambodian army at front line suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition, their families have no health care help, no securities after they die but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning with young girls message, have super health care from oversea medical treatment, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make Cambodian people suffer everyday as Cambodian people know already.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that result lost over 10 000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why don't they transparency inform all Cambodian and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't include Kos Trol (Kos Trol size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapoor with heap of great natural resources) in education system in Cambodia.
Look at Hun Sen families, relatives; friends are billionaires, millionaires where do they get the money from if we all just get out of war with empty hands? Hun Sen always say in his speech Cambodia just get up from war, just get up from Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% innocent Cambodian people are so poor struggling with living every day.
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
Asian should set condition that the Hun's thug regime should respect human right in Cambodia and respect International law!
Before they waist their time meeting to mediate with Khmer,Thai row.
The Asean observers can inspect Cambodian military's everything they have including weapons and so forth... Hun Sen, you are kidding me...Really... Can they see Cambodian battle plans and tactical maps, too.
How about some of the Indonesian observers are working for Thailand???
Or because Cambodian military doesn't have anyhing to hide since there is no secret...
Making me wondering why Hun Sen is so much eager in need of the observers after this recent clash.
Did Thai's troop teach Cambodian troops anything awful experiences prompted Hun Sen desparetely want something to protect the troops.
It is not a typical norm of Hun Sen's behavior... to deal with situation when he has the upper hand
It is just my thinking...
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