Singapore - Cambodia and Thailand assured Singapore Foreign
Minister George Yeo on Tuesday that they would exercise 'utmost
restraint' and try to resolve a tense border dispute amicably.
'Both sides also reiterated that they would handle the situation
in accordance with their ASEAN and international obligations,' Yeo
said in his capacity as chairman of the Association of South-East
Asian Nations.
Foreign ministers of the 10-nation bloc had offered to mediate the
growing tensions that has Thai and Cambodian soldiers massing on the
common border over claims to an iconic 11th-century Hindu temple.
'The proposal found favour with a number of foreign ministers, but
there was also a general view that the bilateral process should be
allowed to continue, and there is still no consensus for the
formation of such a group,' Yeo said.
Yeo said he requested Cambodia and Thailand 'to provide an update'
at the net informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in New York.
They 'gave the assurance that they would exercise utmost restraint
and resolve the issue amicably in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity and
good neighbourliness,' he said.
ASEAN will not referee the dispute focusing on an ancient temple
on the border unless both sides agree to its mediation, diplomats
said earlier.
While Cambodia has sought ASEAN's assistance in resolving the row,
the foreign ministers 'didn't go any further' than saying that the
group was prepared to help, ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan
told reporters.
'ASEAN stands ready to extend any support if the two sides would
like ASEAN to play a role but we didn't go further than that,' he
said.
'It's unfortunate that we have to deal with the issues of two
neighbours but we cannot control the situation,' he said. 'Whether or
not the situation is dangerous, that has to be assessed.'
A meeting on Monday between a joint border committee of Cambodia
and Thailand did not produce satisfactory results, prompting Phnom
Penh to seek the help of ASEAN in resolving the issue.
The ASEAN ministers urged its two bickering members on Sunday to
exercise restraint and to settle the problem amicably.
Nearly 1,000 Cambodian troops and 500 Thai soldiers continue to
face each other on the disputed territory since the tension flared a
week ago.
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