Cambodia FM Informs Foreign Diplomats About Thai Invasions Into Cambodia

Phnom Penh 7 February 2011 -- Xinua

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on Monday informed foreign diplomats in Cambodia about the recent invasions of Thailand into Cambodia at the border disputed areas near the 11th century temple.

During the Monday's meetings, Hor Namhong met with ambassadors of the United States of America, Russia, China, British, France, Germany and India, which are the permanent members and non- permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Then, the minister also met with other 14 ambassadors and charg d'affaires of Cuba, Brunei, Indonesia, Sweden, Pakistan, Laos, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Spain, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines.

"During the meetings, I have informed them about the aggression of Thai arch-enemy on Cambodian territory,"Hor Namhong told reporters at a press conference after the meetings.

"I have showed them about legal documents and maps, which used in the International Court of Justice in 1962 to award Preah Vihear Temple to Cambodia,"he said, adding "and I also showed them about the unilaterally and secretly produced map by Thailand to claim the 4.6 square kilometers near Preah Vihear Temple."

"This secret map was used unilaterally by Thailand in 2008 as Cambodia applied Preah Vihear Temple as the World Heritage," Hor said.

Hor Namhong said that the dispute between Cambodia and Thailand won't be able to resolve bilaterally.

"We want the intervention from ASEAN or UNSC to resolve the issue,"he said.

His meetings with foreign diplomats in Cambodia were made following five time military clashes within four days between Cambodian and Thai troops over the border disputed areas near Preah Vihear Temple.

The clashes left dozens of the two countries' soldiers and locals killed and injured; and ten thousands of villagers of the two countries near the border disputed areas fled their homes for safe shelters.

The border between Thailand and Cambodia has never been completely demarcated and the issue of Preah Vihear temple has been an age-old dispute.

Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand have had border conflict due to Thai claim of the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the temple, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.