BANGKOK, May 26 - Thailand and Cambodia agreed to resume further
talks over the border dispute on Thursday, a day after both sides failed
to break a deadlock.
A Thai delegation led by Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti held talks with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An at a UNESCO-organised meeting in Paris prior to the meeting of the agency's World Heritage Committee scheduled to be held in June.
The two-hour talks however made no progress after Thailand wanted the heritage committee to defer consideration on Cambodia's one-party Preah Vihear management plan until the International Court of Justice rules on Cambodia's complaint and awaiting progress on border demarcation at the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee meeting.
Last month Cambodia asked the court to clarify a 1962 ruling about the ancient Hindu temple on its disputed border with Thailand following recent deadly armed clashes between the two neighbouring countries.
Thailand also urged UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova to suspend the talks. She reportedly asked both sides to meet her separately on Thursday to clarify their positions.
The UN cultural agency chief will later suggest a possible solution to Thailand and Cambodia.
In a related development, Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on Thursday said he had discussions with his Cambodian counterpart Tea Banh who confirmed that Cambodia would host the GBC pending notification from Indonesia, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The 10-nation ASEAN summit agreed early this month that Indonesian observers will be deployed to monitor a ceasefire on the border.
Thailand made it clear that the Indonesia's observer team will only be deployed after Cambodia withdraws its troops from the disputed 4.6 sq km (1.8 square mile) area.
Gen Prawit stated that the GBC meeting will take place after a team of surveyors is deployed. The surveyors and observers however will not be allowed to enter the contested zone.
The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled 49 years ago that the 11th-century Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, although its primary entrance lies in Thailand. However both countries claim ownership of the disputed 4.6-sq km surrounding area. (MCOT online news)
A Thai delegation led by Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti held talks with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An at a UNESCO-organised meeting in Paris prior to the meeting of the agency's World Heritage Committee scheduled to be held in June.
The two-hour talks however made no progress after Thailand wanted the heritage committee to defer consideration on Cambodia's one-party Preah Vihear management plan until the International Court of Justice rules on Cambodia's complaint and awaiting progress on border demarcation at the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee meeting.
Last month Cambodia asked the court to clarify a 1962 ruling about the ancient Hindu temple on its disputed border with Thailand following recent deadly armed clashes between the two neighbouring countries.
Thailand also urged UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova to suspend the talks. She reportedly asked both sides to meet her separately on Thursday to clarify their positions.
The UN cultural agency chief will later suggest a possible solution to Thailand and Cambodia.
In a related development, Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on Thursday said he had discussions with his Cambodian counterpart Tea Banh who confirmed that Cambodia would host the GBC pending notification from Indonesia, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The 10-nation ASEAN summit agreed early this month that Indonesian observers will be deployed to monitor a ceasefire on the border.
Thailand made it clear that the Indonesia's observer team will only be deployed after Cambodia withdraws its troops from the disputed 4.6 sq km (1.8 square mile) area.
Gen Prawit stated that the GBC meeting will take place after a team of surveyors is deployed. The surveyors and observers however will not be allowed to enter the contested zone.
The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled 49 years ago that the 11th-century Preah Vihear belonged to Cambodia, although its primary entrance lies in Thailand. However both countries claim ownership of the disputed 4.6-sq km surrounding area. (MCOT online news)
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