2011-04-27 10:37:43

Thai-Cambodian border dispute continues


Thailand and Cambodia have traded fire for a sixth day as an increasingly bloody border dispute drags on. Wednesday's fighting centred around two crumbling stone temples from the Khmer Empire at Ta Moan and Ta Krabey which have been caught in crossfire since the weekend.

Talks between Thai and Cambodian defence ministers to end the dispute were abruptly cancelled, dashing hopes of an imminent end to fighting that has killed 14 people and sent more than 50,000 into evacuation centres.

“The issue arrived at the UN two months ago, and the Security Council already issued that ASEAN would solve the problem,” says Dr. Apichart Intravisit of Assumption University in Bangkok. “So [ASEAN envoy and Indonesian Foreign Minister] Marty Natalegawa chaired the meeting and acted as an intermediary.”

Mr. Natelegawa’s U.N.-backed ceasefire deal in February included the deployment of 30 unarmed military observers to seven border locations. But earlier this week, Mr. Natelegawa called off his trip to the two countries to discuss the final draft of the terms.

“It is very likely that China and Vietnam will join in the talk or help facilitate in this issue,” Dr. Intravisit told Vatican Radio. “This is quite likely since Thailand has approached Chinese ambassadors and Vietnamese ambassadors to help talk.”

Listen to Dr. Apichart Intravisit’s interview with Kelsea Brennan-Wessels: RealAudioMP3








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