By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The NationSiem Reap
Published on November 13, 2008
The Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers made some progress yesterday when they met for the third time to settle border disputes near the Preah Vihear temple. However, total agreement is being held up by some minor details.
Still, Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong came to a provisional arrangement over the disputed 11th-century Khmer sanctuary. Sompong said, since the issue was very complex, there were some matters still left to be resolved.
One of the issues is the name for the Hindu temple - Cambodia wants it called Preah Vihear, while Thailand prefers Pra Viharn.
The problem may seem minor, but Thais cannot subscribe to Khmer words because it goes against the Parliament's edict. On the other hand, Cambodia argues that the term Preah Vihear is an international term because all parties, including the International Court of Justice, used it when it was ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia.
The two sides agreed that this issue should be left until the next discussion because the Thai team needed to consult the parliament.
"I would like to express my appreciation for the Cambodian side's understanding of our obligations to the constitution," Sompong said.
The foreign ministers and the Thai-Cambodia Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary began new rounds of talks after a clash last month killed four soldiers on both sides and injured many others.
The two countries aim to make a provisional arrangement until a proper demarcation is agreed upon and the problem can be settled permanently.
An official source said that most of the issues were settled but declined to elaborate.
The NationSiem Reap
Published on November 13, 2008
The Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers made some progress yesterday when they met for the third time to settle border disputes near the Preah Vihear temple. However, total agreement is being held up by some minor details.
Still, Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong came to a provisional arrangement over the disputed 11th-century Khmer sanctuary. Sompong said, since the issue was very complex, there were some matters still left to be resolved.
One of the issues is the name for the Hindu temple - Cambodia wants it called Preah Vihear, while Thailand prefers Pra Viharn.
The problem may seem minor, but Thais cannot subscribe to Khmer words because it goes against the Parliament's edict. On the other hand, Cambodia argues that the term Preah Vihear is an international term because all parties, including the International Court of Justice, used it when it was ruled in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia.
The two sides agreed that this issue should be left until the next discussion because the Thai team needed to consult the parliament.
"I would like to express my appreciation for the Cambodian side's understanding of our obligations to the constitution," Sompong said.
The foreign ministers and the Thai-Cambodia Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary began new rounds of talks after a clash last month killed four soldiers on both sides and injured many others.
The two countries aim to make a provisional arrangement until a proper demarcation is agreed upon and the problem can be settled permanently.
An official source said that most of the issues were settled but declined to elaborate.
No comments:
Post a Comment