I C J Preah Vihear Hearing: Thailand Rejects Use Of Annex I Map

[webfact]

Thailand rejects use of Annex I map
Supalak Ganjanakhudee
The Nation
The Hague



THE HAGUE: -- Thailand yesterday rebuffed Cambodia's use of the Annex I map, saying it could only be used to indicate Cambodia's sovereignty over the Preah Vihear Temple and that it never marked a clear boundary between the two countries.

Thai agent Virachai Plasai said Cambodia had discredited all other maps used in the hearing about the 1962 World Court judgement on the issue and insisted on sticking with the 1:200,000-scale Annex I map for its own benefit.

Thailand and Cambodia are caught in a conflict over the Preah Vihear Hindu temple. In 1962, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the temple complex came under the sovereignty of Cambodia and ordered Thailand to withdraw its troops from the temple and its vicinity.

Now, Phnom Penh is asking the ICJ to interpret its ruling, saying the vicinity of the temple should match the pre-existing boundary in accordance with the French-made Annex I map.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said the operative clause in the 1962 judgement suggested that the temple and its vicinity came under the sovereignty of his country. After Wednesday's session, Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf asked both sides to define - either in maps or graphics - the "vicinity" of Preah Vihear that they have been debating about over the past few days.

"This vicinity is defined in the Annex I map," Hor Namhong told reporters after the session on Thursday.

He went on to say that the 1962 judgement indicated that both sides had already accepted the boundary line between the two countries.

The court requires a written reply from both sides by April 26 and expects them to provide the definition by May 3.

On Thursday, Cambodian counsel Rodman Bundy rejected the map presented by Romanian expert Alina Miron on Thailand's behalf, saying it was misconceived.

Bundy said the map in Annex 85d, presented to the court by Miron on Wednesday, only indicated the location of the temple and was not used in the 1962 judgement. He then raised the Annex I map that was used in the court 50 years ago, saying this was the one that Cambodia was seeking an interpretation of.

Hor Namhong told reporters that Thailand had produced several maps to show to the court, when in reality the court had based its 1962 judgement on the Annex 1 map only.

Bundy also told the court that the line drawn in a Thai Cabinet resolution in 1962 had no rationale as to the temple's vicinity nor did it have any connection to the border marked in the Annex 85d map presented by the Thai counsel.

He went on to say that Cambodia had never accepted the boundary drawn in the 1962 Thai Cabinet resolution and that unlike Thailand's Prince Damrong in 1930, the late King Norodom Sihanouk never recognised Thai sovereignty in the territory near Preah Vihear. In fact, then-Prince Norodom protested against the resolution.

He was referring to a comment made by the Thai counsel saying that the 1930 visit to Preah Vihear by then-interior minister Prince Damrong could be regarded as a recognition of French sovereignty over the temple.


-- The Nation 2013-04-20

[Locationthailand]

Those bloody French. That's a right royal mess you've gotten us into Ollie...

[FarangTalk]

There was a threat from the Thais to the court about using the Annex I map; the map that was used in the 1962 ruling and that the Cambodians are using. Not really the way to go about presenting your case in the international arena, by demanding the court accept your map under veiled threats!

Why should a map drawn unilaterally by the Thais after the 1962 judgement was made be used now?

The Cambodians brought the case back to the ICJ to clarify using the Annex I map.

[clockman]

Self indulged children, Third world and always will be!

[Sydebolle]

There will be war as it suits the Thai government by covering up domestic rows with an international conflict. The Americans are the world's experts on such smoke screens exercises.

At the end the Cambodias and the Thais will agree, that it was all a mess left behind by the French and hence a face-saving exercise will take place. The brotherhood of Hun Sen and the likes will prevail 8-).

In all practicality it should be awarded to the world and taken care of by Cambodia and Thailand together with the financial support of Unesco. It is a part of the Khmer empire which at that time did not know political maps of either country.

I've been there a couple of times and I fear that if the bickering goes on then long overdue restoration and renovation works cannot take place and irreparable damage will prove future generations on how stupid politicians were in both countries.

Overlooking the plains of Cambodia from the Phrea Vihearn summit is a must on the "1001 things to do in life", believe me!

[Lite Beer]

Thailand opposes use of so-called Annex I map at ICJ
By Digital Media

THE HAGUE, April 20 -- Thailand rejected Cambodia's use of the so-called Annex I map in the 1962 Judgement of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), saying it has never marked a clear boundary, but could cause further problems between Thailand and Cambodia.

Thailand's ambassador to the Hague and Thailand’s agent Virachai Palasai on Friday led the country’s foreign legal counsels and experts to deliver final oral statements arguing Thailand’s position and responding to Cambodia’s arguments regarding the Preah Vihear (Phra Viharn) case presented to the Court on April 18.

Thailand’s oral statements on the final day of the hearings adhered to the same position and aim to make the Court realise Cambodia’s true intention, which is not to request the Court for an interpretation of the Judgment, but rather to ask it for what the Court expressly rejected over 50 years ago.

Thailand has also asked the Court to dismiss Cambodia’s request for interpretation of the 1962 Judgment. But if the Court finds Cambodia’s request admissible, it should decide that there is no reason to interpret the Judgment, as the Judgment is clear and Thailand has already implemented all the obligations contained therein.

In his closing statement, Mr Virachai accused Cambodia of being inconsistent with its requests to the court and stances regarding the temple case since it brought the dispute to the World Court in 1959.

Mr Virachai asked the court to consider the case inadmissible because it does not fall under the court's jurisdiction.

He insisted that the boundary dispute could be settled through the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Committee, and not using an arbitrary line on the Annex I map.

The Thai legal team has earlier said that there are mechanisms and channels in place to resolve conflicts, including the territorial dispute that Cambodia is requesting the Court settle, which can be negotiated bilaterally through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Survey of Demarcation of Land Boundary agreed and signed in 2000.

Thailand and Cambodia have long disputed over the Preah Vihear Hindu temple. In 1962, the ICJ ruled that the temple complex came under the sovereignty of Cambodia and ordered Thailand to withdraw its troops from the temple and its vicinity.

After 50 years, Cambodia is now asking the ICJ to interpret its ruling, saying the vicinity of the temple should match the pre-existing boundary in accordance with the French-made "Annex I map." (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-04-20

[Krungbin]

There will be war as it suits the Thai government by covering up domestic rows with an international conflict. The Americans are the world's experts on such smoke screens exercises.

At the end the Cambodias and the Thais will agree, that it was all a mess left behind by the French and hence a face-saving exercise will take place. The brotherhood of Hun Sen and the likes will prevail 8-).

In all practicality it should be awarded to the world and taken care of by Cambodia and Thailand together with the financial support of Unesco. It is a part of the Khmer empire which at that time did not know political maps of either country.

I've been there a couple of times and I fear that if the bickering goes on then long overdue restoration and renovation works cannot take place and irreparable damage will prove future generations on how stupid politicians were in both countries.

Overlooking the plains of Cambodia from the Phrea Vihearn summit is a must on the "1001 things to do in life", believe me!

Agree 100%!

[tomross46]

There was a threat from the Thais to the court about using the Annex I map; the map that was used in the 1962 ruling and that the Cambodians are using. Not really the way to go about presenting your case in the international arena, by demanding the court accept your map under veiled threats!

Why should a map drawn unilaterally by the Thais after the 1962 judgement was made be used now?

The Cambodians brought the case back to the ICJ to clarify using the Annex I map.

The original map was drawn up by the French Colonialist, in 1909. Since than the French modified the map for their own benefit, when the Thai fought and won a conflict with the Axis French in 1940 and the Vietnamese kicked their asses in 1954, the French are very protective of their colonial past.

[aboctok]

There will be war as it suits the Thai government by covering up domestic rows with an international conflict. The Americans are the world's experts on such smoke screens exercises.

At the end the Cambodias and the Thais will agree, that it was all a mess left behind by the French and hence a face-saving exercise will take place. The brotherhood of Hun Sen and the likes will prevail 8-).

In all practicality it should be awarded to the world and taken care of by Cambodia and Thailand together with the financial support of Unesco. It is a part of the Khmer empire which at that time did not know political maps of either country.

I've been there a couple of times and I fear that if the bickering goes on then long overdue restoration and renovation works cannot take place and irreparable damage will prove future generations on how stupid politicians were in both countries.

Overlooking the plains of Cambodia from the Phrea Vihearn summit is a must on the "1001 things to do in life", believe me!

Agree 100%!

With everything? The war and the agreement that both will happen, the Unesco arrangement that should happen, and the personal visit that must happen?

[Krungbin]

There will be war as it suits the Thai government by covering up domestic rows with an international conflict. The Americans are the world's experts on such smoke screens exercises.

At the end the Cambodias and the Thais will agree, that it was all a mess left behind by the French and hence a face-saving exercise will take place. The brotherhood of Hun Sen and the likes will prevail 8-).

In all practicality it should be awarded to the world and taken care of by Cambodia and Thailand together with the financial support of Unesco. It is a part of the Khmer empire which at that time did not know political maps of either country.

I've been there a couple of times and I fear that if the bickering goes on then long overdue restoration and renovation works cannot take place and irreparable damage will prove future generations on how stupid politicians were in both countries.

Overlooking the plains of Cambodia from the Phrea Vihearn summit is a must on the "1001 things to do in life", believe me!

Agree 100%!

With everything? The war and the agreement that both will happen, the Unesco arrangement that should happen, and the personal visit that must happen?

Yes, with everything. There will be war...whoever "wins" the case at the ICJ...

It will not be an "all out" war, but I just cannot see the "loser" accept defeat, and loose face, without any sort of retaliation(s). And, at the end, it will be the fault of the French. And it is, somehow: in 62, they are the ones who supported Cambodia's case very very heavily...

As for the UNESCO arrangement...wouldn't you agree that it is the solution that would sort the problem out?

Last... yes, a personal visit is really worth it. I leave it to you when it will be possible again...