By Joshua Brown in Kuala Lumpur
Global Times
Thai and Cambodian officials appeared before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday to argue their cases, seeking a final resolution to the dispute over an 11-century temple.
In the opening address of the 25th Asia Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Muhyiddin Yassin praised parties on both sides for seeking peaceful resolution at the ICJ.
Peaceful resolution is the bedrock of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Yassin said. "Even when it may seem expedient to use force, ASEAN members have taken the laborious path to peace and upholding the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC). We must remain vigilant and reaffirm our commitment to this tradition."
However, neither nation has acted entirely peacefully. Fighting between them has claimed 29 lives and sent thousands more fleeing since 2008.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said during the first day of roundtable discussions that what was important was that the parties involved would solve the matter peacefully rather than resulting to violence. He added that this should not be seen as a failure of the ASEAN community and, "this doesn't mean the diplomatic process has failed."
However, referring the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia to the ICJ may have unexpected consequences for ASEAN's role in regional dispute resolution. While the conflict is unlikely to impact regional security as a whole, it does not bode well for ASEAN and its capacity to attain its goal of creating an ASEAN Security Community "free from any manner of interference by outside powers."
While the ASEAN community has finally located means of peaceful solution, it has failed to resolve the issue internally.
It might have a real impact on the legitimacy of the High Council as the main mechanism of ASEAN dispute settlement, said Hasjim Dialal, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies. "Perhaps because it is perceived to be for political solutions rather than for this legal solutions."
"We do not understand why we have to come here when there is already an existing mechanism" for negotiating a border, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told reporters leaving the ICJ courtroom Monday.
6 comments:
"We do not understand why we have to come here when there is already an existing mechanism" for negotiating a border, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told reporters leaving the ICJ courtroom Monday.”
=Well...Thailand has been playing game for too long in finding the real solution to the Preah Vihear temple conflict! First the reason that Thailand still insisting on using so called "existing mechanism" to solve the border conflict is by shutting Cambodia from the outside world such UNESCO, UNSC, and World Court ,and ASEAN and this mean Thailand is free to doing anything to Cambodia including military invasion!
What Thailand meant by existing mechanism is called bilateral mechanism which long dead and can never be revived as long as Thailand still insisting using military mean to solve the border conflict! From now on if Thailand want to talk to Cambodia and Thailand must talk with the presence of third party such as ASEAN, UNESCO, UNSC, and World Court!
cambodia, don't talk with siem thugs without the third party involved because siem is a liar!
Freaky Bully. Bully Thai! Why Thai are not Bully their own size like Malasia whome support the South for trying to break a part? Thai is coward. That is what a coward does, pick on someone smaller, weaker without any provocation from the victim. F*&K'g Bully!
What is the peaceful solution? So easy-do not invade your neighbour? Duh! Move your troop from Khmer land, and that apply to Youn armies too. Problem solve just like that!
We Thai will block every move Cambodia
make using our famous Muay Thai style. We want Khmen to stay poor forever so it can benefit Thailand because Khmen buy products from Thai. We Thai don't want to buy anything from Khmen.
Khmen throw jabs, we, Thai will block with Muay Thai style. POW POW POOOw.
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