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| Damage to Gopura III from Thai shelling |
DPA
Bangkok - Thailand on Thursday opposed a trip planned by UNESCO to the Thai-Cambodian border to inspect an 11th-century temple for damage sustained in fighting last week.
'I don't think its necessary for UNESCO to send a representative to Phra Viharn at this sensitive time,' said Suwit Khunkitti, minster of natural resources and environment.
Suwit is the government's main negotiator with UNESCO on the temple, called Preah Vihear in Khmer and Phra Viharn in Thai. It was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 2008
'If they do send someone, they must get Thailand's permission; otherwise, it means UNESCO is not being neutral in the dispute,' Suwit said.
The only access to Preah Vihear is now on the Cambodian side. A visit to the temple complex would include entering an adjacent area that is claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia.
Thailand said UNESCO's world heritage site listing was 'the root cause' for the escalating conflict, since the organization went ahead with its decision despite the ongoing dispute over the adjacent 4.6-square-kilometre plot of land.
UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova said Tuesday that she would send a mission as soon as possible to the temple.
On Friday, Asda Jayanama, head of the Thai-Cambodian joint border commission, is to fly to Paris to explain Bangkok's stance at UNESCO's headquarters.
Fighting occurred in the vicinity of the temple from Friday to Monday, killing at least three Thais and five Cambodians and forcing an estimated 25,000 people to flee their homes.
The Hindu temple was damaged in the exchange of fire.
Thailand has accused Cambodia of using the complex as a base for attacks, which Phnom Penh has denied.
Visits by journalists to the temple this week have provided evidence that Cambodian troops have dug in at the site.
Thailand maintains that the conflict must be settled bilaterally while Cambodia is pushing for intervention by the UN Security Council and UNESCO.
The sovereignty spat over Preah Vihear first flared up more than five decades ago, and in 1962, the International Court of Justice ruled in Cambodia's favour. However, the ruling did not define the border and the current confrontation focuses not on the temple itself but the disputed plot nearby.
Thailand wants UNESCO to postpone approval of Cambodia's management plan for the temple when its World Heritage Committee meets again in Bahrain in July.
'What we're saying to UNESCO is that the issue should be shelved, pending the work of the joint boundary committee on coming up with a clearer border demarcation,' Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said.
8 comments:
See this .." .. there is an element of Thai "inferiority complex" in the conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia"''..
See this .." .. there is an element of Thai "inferiority complex" in the conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia"''..
http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/2297
Nobody stop the Siem leaders from settle the border conflict through bilateral talk or negotiation! No body! No body! No body!
But the Siem leaders must understand that Cambodian leaders have a choice and can't be pressured into any bilateral talk or negotiation if they don't want to!
There are many, many, and many bilateral talks or negotiations done in the past between Thailand and Cambodia and it yield no positive result except military confrontation at the cost of human life! What the Siem leaders are demanding is the impossible! The Siem leaders have countless chances to settle the border disputed through bilateral peacefully but they say one thing and turn around using guns and mortars!
UNESCO has responsibility for world heritage not Thailand heritage! UNESCO can't be threaten by Thailand from doing the right thing from protecting world heritage!
UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova is doing the right thing by sending a mission to the temple!
What the hell, I don't get it! Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia and UNESCO need Thai permission to visit the temple. That is bullshit. How come there is no path to Pheah Vihear when it belong to Cambodia. Don't make sense.
Again and again thai does not want to give up but wants to be part of the site by opposing the UNESCO to visit it .Also thai opposes the third party to solve the issues.We must stand firm to conserve what belongs to Khmer!Thank you
Thailand doesn't want UNESCO to visit, because it will dispose another fact about cluster boom that the thai army used.
Thais start barking everyone who wants to visit Preah Vihear. They became really mental dog!
They can no longer lie or threaten anyone. Nobody cares any more about what they say.
C'est inacceptable avec de tels propos de la Thaïlande!
Cela me révolte et me répugne l'attitude de la Thaïlande.
est ce que cela est possible d'un pays qui pratique le bouddhisme qui s'exprime de manière contre vérité et de manipulation?
Il est temps d'arrêter usurper la culture khmère et de se comporter comme un pays digne en ce nom!
Comment peut elle refuser la visite de l'UNESCO afin de vérifier les dégâts que ses troupes militaires ont été causés lors de ces 4 jours de violents affrontements?
Le temple appartient au Cambodge et non pas à la Thaïlande à ce que je sache!
Sûrement, elle ne veut pas montrer la vérité et de ses exactions.
Ce temple khmer Preah Vihear (signifie en khmer palais sacré) a été légué par nos rois bâtisseurs khmers, nos ancêtres depuis presque mil an.
J'espère que la justice soit faite avec le regard du monde entier et que la Thaïlande cesse de prendre le Cambodge et le monde entier comme les imbéciles.
Vive la justice !
vive le cambodge libre et éternel!
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