Bangkok - Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaungsuban said
Friday that he will not discuss the controversial Preah Vihear Hindu
temple on his diplomatic mission to Cambodia this weekend, raising
questions about why he is going.
'I will not talk about anything that causes disagreements,' Suthep
said. 'I will only discuss our bilateral relations and try to
increase cooperation.'
How Suthep, who flies to Phnom Penh Saturday, will patch up
Thailand's strained relations with its neighbour Cambodia without
touching on the main source of contention - an 11th-century Hindu
temple perched on their common border - remains to be seen.
Thailand and Cambodia have beefed up troops in the vicinity of
Preah Vihear temple, about 450 kilometres north-east of Bangkok.
Disputes over claims to land adjacent to the temple have led
to at least two armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops since
July 7, 2008, when the temple was named a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said last week he would ask
UNESCO, which administers the Preah Vihear temple under Cambodian
supervision, to launch a review of the administration of the World
Heritage-listed site.
He said shared supervision of the site would ensure 'the two
countries can jointly benefit from this site of high historical
importance.'
Thailand planned to submit the proposal at a UNESCO committee
meeting in Spain this week, provoking condemnation from Cambodian
Prime Minister Hun Sen and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep was assigned by Abhisit to
explain the plan to Hun Sen amid reports both countries were amassing
troops in the border region where two fatal clashes have erupted in
the past year.
On Thursday, Hun Sen said he would not discuss the temple with
Suthep.
'But if he [Suthep] wishes to discuss Thailand withdrawing its
troops from our soil, then we will talk about that,' Hun Sen said.
Two Cambodian soldiers were killed in clashes near Preah Vihear in
July and another skirmish in April left two Thai soldiers dead and
dozens injured on both sides.
The temple was granted to Cambodia in a 1962 International Court
of Justice ruling, but Thailand claims the land around the site.
UNESCO in July granted Preah Vihear World Heritage Site status,
despite Thai objections.
Hun Sen said Thursday that Cambodia would hold a national
celebration on July 7 to mark the one-year anniversary of the UNESCO
ruling.
'I will call on monks throughout the country to beat drums to
celebrate this occasion,' he said. 'There will be a concert in Phnom
Penh and similar celebrations in the provinces.'
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