February 12, 2011
The Nation
As the border conflict simmers, both Thailand and Cambodia should withdraw troops from the area and sit down at the negotiating table
All eyes will be on the UN Security Council this Monday when Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Nam Hong present their cases to the 15-member body. Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, in his capacity as chair of the Asean Standing Committee, will also make a statement.
Considering the microphone diplomacy, the Monday showdown could very well be a juicy event. Cambodian PM Hun Sen is accusing his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva of committing war crimes, and accusing Thai troops of using cluster bombs against Cambodian civilians and damaging the historic Hindu temple of Preah Vihear. The Thai Army denies the accusations, saying their targets were military.
For a man who used to run with the Khmer Rogue, it appears that the Cambodian leader has gone soft when one takes into consideration his benchmark for what constitutes a war crime. Let's not forget that he has done just about every thing to obstruct the ongoing UN tribunal on former Khmer Rouge cadres charged with crimes against humanity.
No comments:
Post a Comment