Friday, 17 July 2009

Deputy PM to Follow Plan of Former Foreign Minister on Solving Preah Vihear Conflict


16 July 2009

The Deputy Prime Minister has stated that he will expedite the completion of the temporary agreement with Cambodia for the dispute over Preah Vihear Temple following the plan suggested by a former foreign minister. Meanwhile, the House Committee of Foreign Affairs is calling for the Thailand's World Heritage committee to clarify the plan to oppose the registration of the Preah Vihear Temple.

Deputy Premier Suthep Thaugsuban gave an interview regarding suggestions to him to expedite the negotiation on the dispute over Preah Vihear Temple that he was discussing with relevant authorities in drawing a temporary agreement to settle the dispute with Cambodia by following guidelines set by the former Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag.

He believes there will be no violence in the area, as both Thailand and Cambodia intend to live together in harmony.

Meanwhile, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs invited representatives from the ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Natural Resources and Environment to discuss the dispute over Preah Vihear Temple following the commission's visit to Si Sa Ket Province to meet with officers at the border on Monday.

The Spokeswoman of the committee, Ratchada Thanadirek, revealed that the committee expects the World Heritage Committee of Thailand to issue a clear plan to oppose the nomination of Preah Vihear Temple as a Cambodian heritage site; to be proposed at the upcoming 34th World Heritage meeting in Brazil.

She added that they will call for UNESCO to assign an official for the meeting so that the information will not be one-sided, from Cambodia only.

She added that the Foreign Ministry should create good understanding among the Thai and international public about the situation at the Thai-Cambodian border, and she revealed that it is not as tense as has been presented in the news.

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