Thai challenges UNESCO over Cambodian temple grounds

Thai challenges UNESCO over Cambodian temple grounds

ABC Radio Australia
Updated June 22, 2009 13:07:29

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has announced that the country's heritage committee will ask UNESCO to reconsider its decision giving control of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple and its surrounding land to Cambodia.

That decision has led to deadly clashes between Thai and Cambodian border guards over the past year.

Thailand will ask the World Heritage meeting in Spain this week, for the grounds of the temple to be placed under joint Thai-Cambodian maintenance, arguing that most visitors approach the temple from the Thai side.

Presenter: Claudette Werden
Speaker: Dr Panitan Wattanayagorn, Senior advisor to the Prime Minister's office

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WATTANAYAGORN: The meeting of UNESCOS committee is to be held in Spain, so the Ministry in charge of the membership notified the Cabinet that the Ministry as a representative of its member committee will protest against UNESCO's decision to allow Cambodia to register the temple areas alone, Thai prime minister did not reopen the issue anyway.

WERDEN: But now its sparked a huge diplomatic row between Cambodia and Thailand ago so we're going back to the same problem?

WATTANAYAGORN: Not really if you notice most countries Thailand in particular are not blaming anything on Cambodia we are just concerned about the role of UNESCO, the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia was quite normal and stable until UNESCO allowed registration of the temple area not temple but temple area to be done unilaterally since then clashes took place, and since them life has been lost and since then casualties have been inflicted on the two countries, it is the responsibility we believe that UNESCO should attempt to look into this issue and matters closely and help try to solve them problem and try to come up with remedies and that is our position

WERDEN: I notice the Prime Minister is actually recommending some kind of joint governing committee between Cambodia and Thailand to control the area surrounding the temple?

WATTANAYAGORN: Indeed that is the rules of UNESCO, in areas that are not clear, in areas that are overlapping between countries UNESCO usually recommends the two countries or parties involved to jointly manage or register the areas and we're simplying reiterating UNESCO'S rules and that's what we are doing.

WERDEN: Can we just clarify you're talking about the area surrounding the temple, Thailand doesn't dispute the temple belongs to Cambodia?

WATTANAYAGORN: Well we certainly feel strongly that the whole area is not clear but of course the International Court of Justice many decades ago issued a statement and verdict giving Cambodia the right over the temple, but not the temple area, so we as part of the world community will recognise that verdict.

WERDEN: You're aware that Cambodia has issued a statement in the media rebuking Thailand for raising the matter again?

WATTANAYAGORN: We're not raising the matter, we're just acknowledging the attendance of one of our ministers who will be representing as a member of that committee meeting in Spain next week, so that is our position.