[Thai] PM denies truce signed [-Another Thai flip-flop?]

Govt emphasises need for detailed negotiation

21/02/2011
PRADIT RUANGDIT
Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva denies a ceasefire agreement has been signed with Cambodia.

The prime minister said again in his weekly broadcast address yesterday that his government believed that a lasting solution to the border dispute could only come through careful negotiation.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers meet in Jakarta tomorrow to find ways to solve the border dispute, but Mr Abhisit said the regional grouping would only act as a coordinator and as a witness, as well as provide a facility for talks between Thailand and Cambodia.

He and members of the cabinet, including the foreign, defence and the natural resources ministers, would be responsible for explaining the border situation to the world community so people could better understand the situation.

Mr Abhisit said he had talked on the phone with Unesco director-general Irina Bokova about the problems arising from the listing of the Preah Vihear temple as a world heritage site. He said Unesco should suspend the process of listing the surrounding area until the border problem was settled.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said yesterday the proposed permanent ceasefire was unnecessary. Peace on the border could be achieved through existing bilateral mechanisms.

Noppadon leads team to Canada

July 3, 2008
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama will lead a Thai team to a meeting in Quebec next week which will consider Cambodia's proposal to place the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear on the World Heritage list after the withdrawal of Thai support.

The minister, however, declined to say if Thailand would continue its objection to Cambodia's unilateral application.

"As the Cabinet withdrew its support, we need to consult with other concerned agencies on what new position we can take," Noppadon told reporters.

Representatives from the National Security Council, the military's Royal Thai Survey Department, the military's Border Affairs Department and the head of Thailand's World Heritage committee will accompany the minister to the Quebec meeting.

Thailand initially opposed the application after Phnom Penh annexed 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping area claimed by both sides in the proposal. The dispute was settled as Cambodia agreed to draw a new boundary for the temple taking only some parts as ruled by the International Court of Justice in 1962.

However, the government was forced to withdraw support for Phnom Penh as protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy asked the Administrative Court to terminate the Cabinet resolution due to fear of loss of sovereignty. The court's temporary injunction made invalid the joint communiqu้ signed by Noppadon and Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An supporting the application.

The Council of State suggested options for the Cabinet to appeal the injunction, otherwise the government and the Foreign Ministry needed to follow the court's decision.

After the injunction, the ministry sent letters to inform Phnom Penh, Unesco, Thai ambassadors to Unesco and to Canada on the withdrawal of support. Cambodian Ambassador Ung Sean accepted the letter yesterday from the minister. Phnom Penh said earlier it would go ahead unilaterally, without Thai support.

Cambodia's application will be on the agenda for consideration in Quebec on July 6-7.

Noppadon yesterday said he had been under no pressure to step down. "I will take responsibility for what I have done. I'm ready to lose in the fight to maintain justice and do the right thing," he said.