Cambodia seeks ASEAN help over disputed border
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./.