U.N. urges permanent cease-fire over Thai-Cambodian border dispute

February 14, 2011

(Kyodo) - The U.N. Security Council expressed "grave concern" Monday over recent armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai forces at the border between the countries and called on both sides to establish a "permanent" cease-fire.

The council members "called on the two sides to display maximum restraint and avoid any action that may aggravate the situation" and "further urged the parties to establish a permanent cease-fire," said a statement issued after the day's closed-door meeting convened at the request of Cambodia.

The members also urged the two countries to "resolve the situation peacefully and through effective dialogue," according to the statement.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and their Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa, who was invited in his capacity as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, met with the 15-member council.

"The Security Council meeting aimed at supporting bilateral efforts and regional efforts, mediation and facilitation efforts," Brazilian Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, who is serving as the council president of the month, told reporters.

She also gave the council's backing to an upcoming meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers slated for Feb. 22 in Jakarta to discuss the border conflict.

"The idea is to work in synergy with regional efforts and right now regional efforts are in full force," the president added.

Natalegawa emphasized the common goal of the council in seeking ways to ensure the resolution of the contentious issue "peacefully through dialogue and negotiations."

The ASEAN chairman said the situation must ultimately be solved by the two countries, but noted there was room for regional groups to help resolve the issue.

"Obviously this is a matter that will have to be resolved in the final analysis bilaterally between the two sides, but it does not mean that there is not a space and role for regional countries to play," he said.

After the meeting, Natalegawa said he felt "far more optimistic than I was before about where we were."

Thailand has accused Cambodia of trying to internationalize the bilateral dispute as Phnom Penh had sent a letter to the Security Council asking for it to convene an urgent meeting and to consider sending peacekeepers to the Thai-Cambodian border.

Bangkok had also sent to the council a letter regarding its position on the conflict over land surrounding the 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple, a World Heritage site that the international court in 1962 ruled belongs to Cambodia. Since it was registered as a World Heritage Site in 2008, several rounds of border clashes have occurred.

In remarks to the council, Hor Namhong called the attacks carried out Feb. 4 to 7 a "war of aggression against Cambodia committed by Thailand" and stressed the need to have U.N. observers, peacekeepers or at least a fact-finding mission to ensure no fresh hostilities begin.

He also claimed that the Thai side used cluster bombs despite a worldwide ban on the weapons.

"Of course we regret that the United Nations Security Council cannot send observers on the ground in order to guarantee a cease-fire, however, we agree with the press statement of the Security Council that the ASEAN chair, Indonesia, will play a very active role to help both parties to respect the cease-fire," the Cambodian foreign minister told reporters.

Denying that his country had used the cluster bombs and blaming the Cambodian side for provoking the attacks, Kasit also relayed the message that the issue was a bilateral one, which could be solved through time and political will.

Describing the issue as "a political problem" in his remarks to the council meeting, the Thai foreign minister said, "It will ultimately require political will on both sides to resolve it."

He also urged the council to back the continued bilateral process, which he said "can be strengthened by the support and encouragement from the ASEAN family."

At least eight people have so far been killed, nearly 100 others wounded and thousands of civilians displaced in the recent border row.