Thursday, 22 October 2009

Lawmaker Castigates Thailand for UNESCO Opposition, Duplicity


Written by DAP NEWS -- Thursday, 22 October 2009
(Posted by CAAI News Media)

A Cambodian National Assembly member and Cambodia People’s Party (CPP) lawmaker on Wednesday lambasted Thai leaders who he said will oppose Cambodia becoming a member of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee.

In a scathing rebuke delivered at an NA debate on Wednesday, Cheam Yeab, Economic, Financial, Banking and Audit Commission director, alleged Thai leaders “always supported and agreed to all PM Hun Sen’s suggestions,” but then duplicitously reneged on the deals.

He also accused Thai leaders of using Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Temple as a political instrument.

“I would like to let the president and the whole meeting know that I react to Thai leaders, as I am a member of Cambodia senator, but I dare to face and be responsible for my country,” he said.

“I am responsible all if any one files complaint me,” he added, referring to Cambodia’s increasingly authoritarian defamation laws. According to Cheam Yeab, Thai senators on Tuesday held a forum to oppose Cambodia to become a member of World Heritage Commit- tee, a decision to be decided by a vote to be held in Paris.

“We have prepared already to agree Cambodia become a member of the World Heritage Committee, as more 150 countries support Cambodia, but I heard on Tuesday that they [the Thais] held a forum to oppose Cambodia candidacy,” Cheam Yeab said at the NA meeting.

He said that opposing Cambodia as a World Heritage Committee Member to was the latest addition to Bangkok Government leaders’ catalogue of infamy, and was unsurprising after their opposition of Preah Vihear’s inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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