Thai FM satisfies with closing oral statements on temple dispute

THE HAGUE, April 20 (TNA) - Thailand’s legal team fighting against Cambodia’s claims on disputed land near the ancient Preah Vihear temple told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, the Netherlands, late Friday that the border problem must be settled by the two countries and the Phnom Penh government cannot ask the court to interpret its 1962 ruling. Veerachai Palasai, chief of Thailand’s legal team and also ambassador to the Netherlands, told the ICJ during the closing statement that the border problem which arose after the 1962 ICJ ruling should be settled by the two neighbouring countries. He said Thailand has always respect Cambodia’s sovereignty, but Cambodia has been inconsistent with its requests to the court to interpret the 1962 ruling and also changed its stances on the border line which could prolong the crux. Cambodia cannot ask the court to interpret that ruling because it does not have fresh information while it is also senseless. The ICJ ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia, but surrounding land remains in dispute. The country asked the ICJ in 2011 to reinterpret its 1962 judgement whether the 4.6 sq. km. of scrub near the temple belongs to Cambodia or Thailand. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who attended the final oral statements given by the two countries from April 15 and ended last night, told journalists that Thailand’s legal experts had done an excellent job as they could explain to the court on charges made by Cambodia. In particular, Veerachai’s closing statement was very fine as it clearly showed Cambodia changed its stances all the time during the court battle, said Surapong, adding that he hoped the court would understand what Thailand’s legal experts had presented during the final oral statements. The ICJ is expected to issue its ruling the next six months while Surapong opined that the ruling would not cause divisiveness between the two countries. No matter what the outcome is, government leaders of the two countries have agreed earlier that the bilateral relations would remain unchanged and the two nations could live in harmony, Surapong added. The Thai side is scheduled to return home early Sunday. (TNA)