Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Thai, Cambodian foreign ministers agree to Indonesian observers

9 May 2011

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- The foreign ministers of Cambodia and Thailand agreed to allow the deployment of Indonesian monitors to their disputed border area, the Bangkok Post reported Monday.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong met after the two countries' prime ministers Abhisit Vejjajiva and Hun Sen failed to reach an agreement during talks at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit on Sunday. The agreement must still be approved by both leaders, however.

"The achievement this afternoon exceeded my expectations," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said after mediating the talks. "I'm not underestimating the scale of the problem, but they have overcome their mutually exclusive demands."


The two sides had signed up to Indonesia's proposal to send observers to monitor a ceasefire on their common border on February 22 at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, however, insisted Cambodian troops leave the 4.6-square-kilometer disputed border area before Indonesian observers arrive.

The Cambodian side, meanwhile, had insisted that the monitoring team be deployed before any negotiations on troop withdrawal could resume.

On Sunday, the Chong Jom border crossing opened and over 80% of Thai and Cambodian vendors reopened their stalls at a local market near the border pass on the Thai side.

Tensions first escalated between the two countries in July 2008 following the build-up of military forces near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple. The United Nations Security Council urged both sides to establish a permanent ceasefire after at least 10 people were killed.

Clashes resumed in February as both nations claim the lands surrounding the ancient Hindu Temple, which has been damaged due to the conflict. The Preah Vihear temple dates back to the 11th century and is located on the Cambodian side of the border.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten

By Ms. Rattana Keo

Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 30,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and 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 on the Thai border and what's about over 30,000km2 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?

Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 30,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The 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 protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?

The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer every day.

Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 30,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?

Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?

Koh Tral was a Cambodian island, and technically and legally, remained a Cambodian island until today.

Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,

Anonymous said...

The new policy of Hun Sen regime today is to kill all Ex Khmer Rouge because they are the true Khmer patriot that can be harmful to Hun Sen regime as Vietnam slave.

Hun Sen regime sends all Ex Khmer rouge soldiers to frontline fighting with Thai army without enough weapons and foods. Hun Sen ordered the front line army do not fire back to Thai Army while they bomb Ex Khmer Rouge over 50 000 shells. These actions are representing very clear that Hun Sen is trying to clear or kill all Ex Khmer Rouge army by using Thai hands.

The true and real Khmer patriots are the enemy of Hun Sen regime. Vietnam is scare of Ex Khmer Rouge Soldiers as they have been defeat Vietnam army (Over 10 000 Vietnam soldiers have been killed by EX Khmer Rouge Army in Cambodia. That is lead to Vietnam withdraw out of Cambodia) before 1993.

Anonymous said...

The new policy of Hun Sen regime today is to kill all Ex Khmer Rouge because they are the true Khmer patriot that can be harmful to Hun Sen regime as Vietnam slave.

Hun Sen regime sends all Ex Khmer rouge soldiers to frontline fighting with Thai army without enough weapons and foods. Hun Sen ordered the front line army do not fire back to Thai Army while they bomb Ex Khmer Rouge over 50 000 shells. These actions are representing very clear that Hun Sen is trying to clear or kill all Ex Khmer Rouge army by using Thai hands.

The true and real Khmer patriots are the enemy of Hun Sen regime. Vietnam is scare of Ex Khmer Rouge Soldiers as they have been defeat Vietnam army (Over 100 000 Vietnam soldiers have been killed by EX Khmer Rouge Army in Cambodia. That is lead to Vietnam withdraw out of Cambodia) before 1993.