Preah Vihear: Yingluck keeps a low profile
To sum it up in my words: I used a lot of words again as usual to say nothing. Prime Minister Yingluck stressed in parliament yesterday that she has never said she will accept the verdict of the ICJ [International Court of Justice in The Hague].
“What I have said is that I will maintain bilateral relations and safeguard the sovereignty of the country. I have emphasized the need to maintain peace and cordial international relations, regardless of the Court's decision.”
Yesterday, the Thai ambassador and leader of the legal team in the Netherlands, Virachai Plasai, explained the verdict. According to him, it is currently impossible to determine the exact size of the area that will go to Cambodia (the so-called 'promontory'). That depends on the negotiations between the two countries.
Virachai pointed out that, as in 1962, the Court does not regard the Dangrek map as binding for the border between the two countries ('Very positive for Thailand') . On this map, drawn in the early 20th century by French officers, the temple and the 4,6 square kilometers disputed by both countries lie on Cambodian territory. The Aerial Survey Center in Delft established in 1961 that the map is incorrect on this point.
The House of Representatives yesterday also debated amending Article 190 of the Constitution, which has already been approved by the House and Senate. This article regulates in which cases the government must consult parliament with regard to international agreements and agreements. The amended article limits the scope.
According to the opposition, the government now has a license to make agreements with Cambodia about the exact border at Preah Vihear Hindu temple. But Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul (Foreign Affairs) denied that the government has a hidden agenda, because the negotiating result is submitted to parliament for approval. Opposition leader Abhisit countered that in the original article 190 the government must also consult parliament in advance, a consultation that has been deleted in the amendment.
(Source: bangkok mail, November 14, 2013, plus own archive)
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