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| UNESCO Special Envoy Koichiro Matsuura speaks to reporters on Monday. The government has called on UNESCO to send experts to the Preah Vihear temple complex to evaluate reported damage to the site. (Photo by: Pha Lina) |
Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post
Military attachés from more than 10 embassies in Phnom Penh will visit the Preah Vihear temple and the surrounding border area tomorrow, a military spokesperson told The Post today.
“We will show the delegation the damages, which were caused by shooting from mortar shells from Thailand during the fighting from February 4 to 7,” said Lieutenant General Chhum Socheat, spokesman for the Ministry of Defence.
Chhum Socheat said the Ministry of Defence would lead the delegation, which he added follows on the heels of a similar visit by military attachés to the Thai side of the border organised by the Thai military.
Koichiro Matsuura, a former Director-General of UNESCO who was named as a special envoy for the purpose of addressing the bilateral dispute, visited Bangkok and Phnom Penh, but delayed a scheduled trip to the temple.
Chuch Phoeurn, chairman of the Preah Vihear National Authority, said Matsuura would visit after the arrival of military observers from Indonesia.
Cambodian and Thailand agreed in Jakarta last month to allow 30 Indonesian military observers, 15 on each side of the border, to monitor the situation.
Prior to the agreement, Cambodia had requested peacekeepers under the auspices of the United Nations or ASEAN, while Thailand had said it would reject any third-party intervention.
The Bangkok Post quoted Thai army commander-in-chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha today saying that the army would restrict the access of the military observers.
“We will have to restrict their access to classified information at some level. We are not going to let them see everything,’’ Gen Prayuth said.
“I want it [the Thai-Cambodian border conflict] to remain a bilateral issue and do not want any third country to step in, therefore imposing limits on access is needed.”
Chhum Socheat pledged that no such restrictions would be placed on Indonesian observers by the Cambodian government.
“We don’t have any conditions, they can do everything and go everywhere,” he said.
UNESCO envoy departs
Matsuura departed Phnom Penh today following meetings with Prime Minister Hun Sen and Deputy Prime Minister Sok An to discuss the conflict and damage to the Preah Vihear temple, and said the talks would continue.
“It’s a very fruitful mission… I am very happy about that,” he told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport before leaving for Japan.
“We have something that UNESCO has to discuss further with the Cambodian government,” Matsuura said, but declined to elaborate.
Ek Tha, deputy director of the Press and Quick Reactions Unit at the Council of Ministers, said today that Sok An met on Monday night with diplomats from Barbados, Mali, Ethiopia and Nigeria, all of which are members of the World Heritage Committee.
20 comments:
UNESCO should now realize that it was Thailand's intention to destroy 'Preah Vihear Temple' on purpose, if Thailand does care or concern about the Temple...why Thailand fire heavy artillery at Preah vihear Temple... with clusteer bomb instead? This is telling me that Thailand intend to destroy the Temple on purpose, because of jealousy!!
400 ammuntions, including cluster bombs that Thailand shelling directly at Temple"Preah vihear" Thailand got jealous, because they lost the case...if Thailand can't have it, they destroy it!!
Thai army chief Prayudh Chan O'cha has order or stop Asean's team to stay away from the fighting site..? Does Thai has something to hide from the world to be seen..??
បើអាស្ដេចសៀមសង្វិតងាប់ឬរបបរាជានិយមនៅសៀមត្រូវផ្ដួលរលំ, បញ្ហាប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារអាចនឹងត្រូវបញ្ចប់ជាស្ថាពរ! ព្រោះគ្រប់បែបយ៉ាងទាំងអស់គឺសុទ្ធតែចេញពីព្រះបរមរាជវាំងសៀមដែលមានស្ដេចនិងពួកអាមាត្យនៅពីក្រោយឆាក ហើយបញ្ជាឲ្យ អាប់ភីស៊ីត វេចាជីវ៉ា, កាស៊ីត ភិរម្យ, ពួកយោធានិងពួកអាវលឿងធ្វើសកម្មភាពដោយផ្ទាល់និងចេញមុខ។ តែខួរក្បាលបញ្ជាគឺសេ្ដចនិងអាមាត្យ!
Thai people in SiSaKet will file a law suit against Gen.Prayuth Chan O'Cha for killing so many Thai citizens and the lost many Thai soldiers...He's a murdered!!
Thailand must held accountable for using cluster bomb and chemical weapons against its neighbors...United Nation Security council must prosecute Thailand for breaking the international community's law!!
To Thai army chief Prayudh Chan O'cha,
Why you are hidding what you have done to Cambodia site? You are not Gadaffi or Saddam and USA can't help you too.
United Nation and Aseans leader must look at the whole picture and they will know why Thailand is the one who started all the problems with its neighbors country...Unless UN/US taken side with rich country?
Prasat Preah Vihear belongs to all Khmer and not one person or one government. It is the identity of all Khmer people around the globe.
Therefore we as Khmer descents, include Khmer (Khmer Surin) live other side of the Mountain Dangrek and Khmer Krom have the right to protect and defend Prasat Preah Vihear.
i think it is good policy for cambodia not to isolate any part of our country again. we should always invite the international observers in our country. the area in northern preah vihear was traditionally been sort of isolated from the area of cambodia, i think it is time for cambodia to start develop this part of our country as well so it will not remain isolated from the rest of cambodia or the world for that matter, really! god bless cambodia.
Agree with Post 3:41am! In the past nobody seem to care about this area(northern part), this is why Thai-thief take advantage on stealing and looting...?? We must continue to developing this area with city, town, shopping center, populated this area, turning the area into crowded town, this way no thief can come in and claim this? and claim that? Because this area was neglected and nobody care...for so long?
What about the EAST SIDE, our border with Viet-thief?????? Aren't we gonna do something or keep neglecting..?? and Ok! Ok!
All good moves for Cambodia. We show more maturity than the manipulative Thailand.
The world is finally on our side. I bet Thailand will copy Cambodia's moves to just exact the same thing.
Thailand is like a rebellious greedy younger brother as suppose to the Cambodia the older brother.
19 military personal from 19 country on the way to help inspect Preah vihear damages...and inspecting on cambodian side, because Thai army chief Prayudh Chan O'cha won't allow Asean's team to see the fighting site? Thailand has block Asean's team from seeing...the scene??
correction=Thailand side has block!
The world used to Ignore, neglected Cambodia and even look down on Cambodia too...I'm glad the world pay attention toward Cambodia today!
Now Thai cabinet minster approved to establish two new division to support 2nd Thai army along border Cambodia and Laos as well as Burma border about Bt 80 billion. We know that Thai create new division to invade these country one day. Thus, we khmer have to be modernized our military to protect our land and people along neighbor countries. The military must build capacity and modern weapon both ground and air defense.
siem must have forget about the phrase "armed race"! of course, if siem stock up their country with weapon, troops, etc, cambodia, too, should race with them, really! for cambodia now, it is all about self-defense, you know! someone got to protect and care and love cambodia, you know! there are more to cambodia than just you and i, really! god bless cambodia, always.
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