Sunday, 20 July 2008

Thai PM stresses need to talk on "no-man's land" to end dispute

Thai PM talking like an one year old boy just learn how to talk. If Cambodia declaire that Bangkok is the land of Cambodia did Mr Samak agree on NO MAN LAND TOO?

BANGKOK, July 20 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Sunday said the disputed border area between Thailand and Cambodia is in "no-man's land" and that talks between officials of both countries are needed to iron out the dispute.

The Thai premier made the remarks after the Cambodian representative to the UN informed the UN Security Council on Thursday of alleged Thai incursion into its territory.

Speaking in his weekly television address, Mr. Samak said he preferred not to talk about the issue as the matter had already reached the United Nations and the Thai foreign ministry would take care of it.

Cambodia's permanent mission in New York submitted a letter to the chairman of the Security Council and the chairman of the General Assembly to "draw their attention to the current situation on the Cambodian-Thai border,'' Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said.

"Cambodia is not asking for UN intervention. We still stick to Prime Minister Hun Sen's instructions to try to solve the problem peacefully between the two sides,'' the Associated Press quoted the minister as saying in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. The disputed area claimed by both countries is the 4.6 square kilometres adjacent to the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

Troops of both countries have been reinforced in the area recently as Thai Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit and Cambodian Defence Minister Gen. Tea Banh are preparing to confer on Monday in Sa Kaeo province opposite Cambodia's Poi Pet on issues related to the ancient temple.

Officials of both countries have already inspected the hotel's meeting venue to ensure the safety of delegates attending the meeting which is scheduled to start at 10 am local time. Meanwhile, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a group which coalesced thousands of people rallying for months to pressure the premier to step down, on Sunday urged the Thai government to inform the United Nations that the disputed zone adjacent to Preah Vihear temple belongs to Thailand.

Pipop Thongchai, one of three PAD core leaders, said the time is opportune for Thailand to inform the international community that if the border demarcation between Thailand and neighbouring Cambodia is based uoon the natural watershed, the contested area is definitely in Thai territory.

He said past misunderstandings happened due to the Cambodian government use of a map drawn during the French occupation of Cambodia which determined the 11th century temple as well as the adjacent area to be in Cambodian territory. (TNA)

No comments: