Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen piled the pressure on Thailand regarding the stationing of observers at the border to monitor a permanent ceasefire in the area adjacent to Preah Vihear Temple. -- PHOTO: AFP
THAILAND - CAMBODIAN Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday piled the pressure on Thailand regarding the stationing of observers at the border to monitor a permanent ceasefire in the area adjacent to Preah Vihear Temple.
'I appeal to Indonesia, if Thailand is hesitant about observers, then please send them urgently to the Cambodian side at the disputed border area,' Mr Hun Sen said during the celebration of the 13th national cultural day at Phnom Penh's Chaktomuk Hall.
Thailand and Cambodia agreed during an informal meeting of Asean foreign ministers in Jakarta on Feb 22 to allow Indonesian observers to assess the situation after a border skirmish on Feb 4 to 7 killed some 10 people including three civilians on both sides.
Indonesia, as chair of the Asean, sent the terms of reference (TOR) related to the observers to Thailand and Cambodia last week.
On Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry's permanent secretary Theerakun Niyom said that Thailand was still studying the TOR and the ministry needed to consult the military on the procedure. He added that Thailand would need time to study the TOR, since Indonesia had not set any deadline for response.
In comparison, Cambodia has already told the Asean chair that it has accepted the TOR. 'We took no more than 24 hours to reply, and provided the 14 points for Indonesian observers to follow. We will make further concessions if necessary,' Mr Hun Sen was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. 'The observers can extend their terms after 12 months.' -- THE NATION/ANN
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