Cambodia will ask the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to send observers to the disputed border areas with Thailand near Preah Vihear temple to ensure a permanent cease fire.
Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong made this statement at Phnom Penh International Airport upon his arrival from the meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York on the Cambodian-Thai border conflict, on Feb. 16.
The minister said he would present the request at a meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers which is scheduled to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Feb. 22 and will wait to see whether Thailand accepts Cambodia’s suggestion or not.
Cambodia will also ask the ASEAN chair or representative to attend every meeting between Cambodia and Thailand, he said, even the meetings of Cambodia-Thailand Border Commission, because they have negotiated a lot between 2008-2010 but no specific result was achieved.
The UN Security Council on Feb. 14 expressed its support for ASEAN’s efforts in dealing with the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia .
According to the Bangkok Post, a clash between Thai and Cambodian troops happened near the disputed border area early on the morning of Feb. 16. Local people heard continuous shooting from Phu Ma Khua in Kantharalak district in the border province of Si Sa Ket.
Initially, there was no report about the reason for the clash or of any casualties./.
