2008-07-11
PHNOM PENH, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Any Thai claim for the Preah Vihear Temple at the border area is baseless and "absolutely false," said Cambodian former king Norodom Sihanouk in a handwritten note posted on his website Friday.
Some Thais have caused "unmerited and anachronistic problems" for Cambodia "rather than concentrate on developing harmonious, friendly and fruitful relations" between the two countries, he said.
They are ignoring historic facts proving that "the (Dangrek) mountain and the temple of Preah Vihear are 100 percent Cambodia and belong to Cambodia 100 percent," he added.
Thailand's Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama resigned Thursday after the Constitutional Court ruled that he had overstepped his authority in supporting Cambodia's application to have the temple classified as a World Heritage Site.
Some political opponents have charged that the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej deliberately bypassed the Parliament and backed the bid in exchange for business concessions from Cambodia for toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and other Samak cronies.
The Preah Vihear Temple, which straddles the Thai-Cambodian border atop the Dangrek Mountain, was listed as a World Heritage Site on July 7 by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.
Cambodia started seeking the status of World Heritage Site for the temple in 2001, hoping for influx of tourists and international funding that normally accompanies the designation.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded the 11-century classic Khmer-style temple and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision therefore rankling Thais.
Editor: Du Guodong
PHNOM PENH, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Any Thai claim for the Preah Vihear Temple at the border area is baseless and "absolutely false," said Cambodian former king Norodom Sihanouk in a handwritten note posted on his website Friday.
Some Thais have caused "unmerited and anachronistic problems" for Cambodia "rather than concentrate on developing harmonious, friendly and fruitful relations" between the two countries, he said.
They are ignoring historic facts proving that "the (Dangrek) mountain and the temple of Preah Vihear are 100 percent Cambodia and belong to Cambodia 100 percent," he added.
Thailand's Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama resigned Thursday after the Constitutional Court ruled that he had overstepped his authority in supporting Cambodia's application to have the temple classified as a World Heritage Site.
Some political opponents have charged that the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej deliberately bypassed the Parliament and backed the bid in exchange for business concessions from Cambodia for toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and other Samak cronies.
The Preah Vihear Temple, which straddles the Thai-Cambodian border atop the Dangrek Mountain, was listed as a World Heritage Site on July 7 by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.
Cambodia started seeking the status of World Heritage Site for the temple in 2001, hoping for influx of tourists and international funding that normally accompanies the designation.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded the 11-century classic Khmer-style temple and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision therefore rankling Thais.
Editor: Du Guodong
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