By Joshua Brown, Kuala Lumpur
Source: Global Times
Thai and Cambodian officials appeared before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday to argue their cases, seeking a final resolution to the dispute over an 11-century temple.
In the opening address of the 25th Asia Pacific Roundtable in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Muhyiddin Yassin praised parties on both sides for seeking peaceful resolution at the ICJ.
Peaceful resolution is the bedrock of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Yassin said. "Even when it may seem expedient to use force, ASEAN members have taken the laborious path to peace and upholding the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC). We must remain vigilant and reaffirm our commitment to this tradition."
However, neither nation has acted entirely peacefully. Fighting between them has claimed 29 lives and sent thousands more fleeing since 2008.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said during the first day of roundtable discussions that what was important was that the parties involved would solve the matter peacefully rather than resulting to violence. He added that this should not be seen as a failure of the ASEAN community and, "this doesn't mean the diplomatic process has failed."
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