Cambodia seeks UN, ASEAN to mediate spat with Thailand

PREAH VIHEAR: Cambodia asked the UN Security Council and its Southeast Asian neighbors Tuesday to intervene in resolving a military standoff over disputed border territory around an ancient temple, stepping up its rhetoric against Thailand.

“In the face of this imminent state of war, this very serious threat to our independence and territorial integrity, we have an obligation to resort to the UN Security Council,” said Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, using the harshest terms yet in the confrontation.

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said every state had the right to appeal to the council, adding “we believe that bilateral options are still not exhausted.”

The dispute over 1.8 square miles (4.6 square kilometers) of land near the Preah Vihear temple escalated earlier this month when UNESCO approved Cambodia’s application to have the complex named a World Heritage Site.

More than 4,000 troops have been deployed around the temple and in the immediate vicinity since July 15, according to local commanders and AP reporters at the scene. Tharit said Thailand had 470 soldiers facing off against 640 Cambodian troops near the temple.

The troops are to remain in place, but the two sides nevertheless reiterated their commitment to avoiding an armed conflict as a bilateral meeting in the Thai-Cambodian border town of Aranyaprathet ended without a deal.

On Tuesday, Cambodia launched a diplomatic offensive.

Hor Namhong made his statement during a meeting with several foreign ambassadors, including those from countries that are permanent members of the Security Council.

He said the Cambodian ambassador in New York on Monday submitted a request for UN assistance in finding a solution in accordance with international laws.

Cambodia is also seeking regional intervention.

Hor Namhong asked Singapore, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to include the foreign ministers of Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos in a regional mediation effort.

“Thai troops with artillery and tanks are building up along the border, constituting a very serious threat not only to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia, but also to peace and stability in the region,” he said in the letter seen Tuesday.

But the ASEAN foreign ministers, who are holding their annual meeting in Singapore this week, failed to make progress on the simmering border dispute at a hastily arranged lunch Tuesday.

“It was a friendly informal lunch that the chairman (Singapore) called. They just shared information … views on various issues,” ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan told reporters.

“We expect the two sides will find an amicable solution to the issues between them,” he said, adding that ASEAN is ready to play a role if both sides agree.

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Sahas Banditkul, who is representing Thailand at the ASEAN meeting, said a formation of an “inter-ministerial group” as suggested by Cambodia is “premature.”

“We would like Thailand and Cambodia to talk bilaterally first,” he said in a teleconference call. “(The lunch) was just an informal talk that does not have legal implications.”

The Cambodian Foreign Ministry statement said talks failed “because Thailand insisted on using a map drawn unilaterally, thus violating Cambodia’s territory.”