Cambodia To Request UN a Permanent Ceasefire With Thailand

Phnom Penh 12 February 2011 -- AKP

Cambodia will request the intervention from the United Nations to ensure a permanent ceasefire with Thailand, said Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Hor Namhong on Friday at Phnom Penh International Airport before his departure for the UN Security Council's meeting to be held on Feb. 14 in New York.

The upcoming UNSC's meeting is the big loss for Thailand, said H.E. Hor Namhong, who is also Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, explaining that Thailand has so far tried to convince the UNSC not to have this meeting.

He said in the meeting he will express Cambodia's stance in solving the border conflict with Thailand by peaceful means and with the international participation, whether the UN or ASEAN, because the bilateral mechanism does not work anymore.

"I'll explain to the UNSC's meeting the cause of the war, the Thai encroachment on Cambodian territory since 2008, and Thailand's use of cluster bombs during the recent war against Cambodia," he said.

He further stressed that there will not be a bilateral talk between him and his Thai counterpart before the UNSC's meeting. The bilateral talk could be possible if there is also the presence of the Indonesian foreign minister, he added.

The Cambodian deputy prime minister said he was informed that as the current Chair of ASEAN, the Indonesian foreign minister is planning to convene an ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting [over Cambodian-Thai border dispute]. Cambodia will accept to join the meeting, he affirmed. -AKP

Article in Khmer by CHIM Nary

Article in English by SOKMOM Nimul