Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday Cambodia will not withdraw its request to the International Court of Justice for a decision clarification on land near Preah Vihear temple, following calls for a continuation of bilateral talks by Thailand.

Tweet

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was quoted Sunday saying Cambodia should withdraw its request from the court, which heard arguments on both sides last week in the Hague.

Cambodia wants the court to clarify a 1962 decision that gave the temple to Cambodia, in hopes it can also be used to determine other borders. Thai officials say that decision should not be used to determine sovereignty on land near the temple.

Abhisit said Sunday that Cambodia should withdraw the request as a good faith initiative for bilateral talks over the border, the site of numerous deadly clashes since a build-up began in 2008.

Abhisit recommended a joint management plan for a 4.6-kilometer stretch of land near the temple, which has been a major point of contention in the border conflict. The most recent fighting, in April, left more than a dozen people killed and sent thousands of civilians fleeing.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the Royal School of Administration, Hun Sen said on Monday that Cambodia would not withdraw the case “at any cost.”

Hun Sen said a joint management plan is not possible and denied the existence of “overlapping” land.

Source: VOA Khmer