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| Thanasak Patimapakorn |
Observers 'no longer needed' (sic!)
21/07/2012
Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post
Indonesian observers may no longer be needed in the disputed land near Preah Vihear temple as the situation at the Thai-Cambodian border has stabilised, Supreme Commander Thanasak Patimapakorn said yesterday.
Gen Thanasak, who visited Indonesia on Monday and Tuesday, said he had told his Indonesian counterpart that Thailand and Cambodia had not been in conflict for almost two years now, so there is no longer a need for observers.
"Indonesia considers that if the two countries can talk, they will have no need to come in, and this is also the two nations' stance," Gen Thanasak said.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 18 last year ordered Thailand and Cambodia to withdraw their troops from the 17.3 sq km provisional demilitarised zone (PDZ) around Preah Vihear temple after Cambodia petitioned the ICJ to reinterpret its 1962 verdict granting Cambodia sovereignty over the temple and its 4.6 sq km surrounding area.
Thailand and Cambodia started redeploying their soldiers from the PDZ on Wednesday and replacing them with border patrol police officers.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Cambodian leader Hun Sen agreed on the troop redeployments during a meeting on July 13 in Siem Reap.
Gen Thanasak said the situation has remained calm since the redeployment.
He said a Cambodian bomb disposal team will visit Thailand on Thursday to discuss removing explosives from the PDZ.
The move follows the Joint Working Group's (JWG) agreement between the two countries to start clearing mines in the PDZ. The JWG was formed following a resolution of the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee to work out details of the troop withdrawals, but the past two JWG meetings failed to reach an agreement so their premiers were asked to discuss the pullouts.
A Cambodian community continues to live in the disputed area, in violation of the Thai-Cambodian Memorandum of Understanding on border issues signed in 2000, but Gen Thanasak said border moves must proceed step by step.
The ICJ is tentatively set to rule on Cambodia's petition on the interpretation between September and October next year, Gen Thanasak said.
4 comments:
Cambodia must insist to have ICJ carry its mandate, requiring Indonesian personnel monitor the situation. If Thai stop vioating Khmer's sovereign, there is not need to be afraid of third party to carry ICJ's mandate.
Don't fall into another Siem's trick !
Follow the ICJ court orders.
Cambodian government might be corrupted but they ARE NOT STUPID. My guess is the ICJ might be getting close to rule on 1962 explaination. Our police were all regular troops with less fire powers. Our troops are not withdrawing very far from PDZ areas.
We will be quickly right back in just in case Siam trying any tricks. Cambodian must insist TOR team at those locations agreed upon.
Our regular troops are now better equipped and better uniforms. We still need to train our troops more into a better professional military. RCAF needs to buy a longer range artillery pieces. Better SAM systems. More anti-tank missiles. More MANPADs.
ICJ will rule in our favors if the world still believe in justices for those who deserv one. Pray to god to work in the minds of those ICJ judges. VICTORY TO CAMBODIA.
Siem thuggish leaders want to change the rule of law? The law is the law! The ICJ will come first before anything can be done!
In this the Indonesian personnels are required under the law to monitor the disputes! Unless the Siem thugs want another round of military conflict?
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