Cambodia insists ASEAN observers to temple area after U.N. Court’s order

     PHNOM PENH, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nanhong had written an official letter to Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, current ASEAN chair, to insist Indonesia to send its observers to the disputed border area next to the 11th century Preah Vihear temple as soon as possible to comply with the order of the International Court of Justice, Koy Kuong, the spokesman for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Wednesday.

   “In the letter, Hor Namhong informs Marty about the World Court’s decision concerning to the case of the disputed border area between Cambodia and Thailand,” he said. “The minister also insists Indonesia to dispatch its observers to the newly defined demilitarized zone around the temple of Preah Vihear as soon as possible in order to honor the Court’s decision.”

   The letter was made after the U.N. Court on Monday afternoon ordered Cambodia and Thailand to immediately withdraw their military personnel currently present in the provisional demilitarized zone around the area of Preah Vihear temple.

   It added that Cambodia and Thailand should continue their co-operation within ASEAN and, in particular, allow the observers appointed by that organization to have access to the provisional demilitarized zone.

   Cambodia and Thailand agreed to accept Indonesian observers to monitor a ceasefire on their respective border side on Feb 22 at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, but the deployment has always delayed because Thailand demanded that Cambodian soldiers and locals be withdrawn from the disputed area near the temple first.

   The World Court awarded Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962 and the temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

   The border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand occurred just a week after the enlistment as Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) of scrub next to the temple.

   Since then, both sides have built up military forces along the border and periodic clashes have happened, resulting in the deaths of troops and civilians on both sides.