JAKARTA, Indonesia, May 8 — Settlement of the ongoing border dispute would be difficult if Cambodian troops remain at the ancient Preah Vihear temple, said Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Sunday after holding talks with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.
Mr Abhisit earlier in the day held talks with Mr Hun Sen on the sidelines of the two-day summit of 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), opened yesterday, on finding ways to end clashes at the disputed border area between the two countries.
The meeting, also attended by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the host of the ASEAN summit, lasted about an hour ended with virtually no progress, as foreign ministers of the two nations would meet again tomorrow in Jakarta to explore ways of ending the renewed clashes which began on April 22.
Admitting that different views were seen during his meeting with Mr Hun Sen, the Thai prime minister said Mr Hun Sen wants Thailand to sign an agreement allowing Indonesian observers to be posted at the disputed border area before bilateral talks could start but “I think the problem lies in Cambodia’s refusal to withdraw its troops from the disputed area around Preah Vihear temple.”
Cambodia wants to elevate the Preah Vihear temple to the international level by asking the International Court of Justice to interpret on its 1962 ruling and requests “temporary protection” by demanding the withdrawal of Thai troops stationed in the area, Mr Abhisit said.
He said foreign ministers of both countries would hold “a discussion in general” tomorrow in Jakarta in an attempt to explore ways to end the dispute but it would be “difficult to resolve the problem if PM Hun Sen stands firm on not pulling out Cambodian troops.”
There is no reason to hold talks on other platforms as ASEAN members fully understand that the issue should first be settled bilaterally.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa opined that he believed solutions to end tensions between the two countries must be found so that peace could prevail in this region.
Worries have been expressed by several ASEAN leaders at the summit. Philippine President Benigno Aquino was quoted by Agence France-Presse wire service as telling reporters late yesterday that ASEAN unity was at stake and expressed concerns that the conflict could worsen.
“How can we have one ASEAN, one family if we have two components who cannot solve their problems?” Mr Aquino asked.
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are ASEAN members. The regional grouping intends to form the ASEAN Community, whose functions would be similar to the European Union, by 2015.
