JAKARTA - South-east Asian leaders made little headway yesterday in helping Thailand and Cambodia end a deadly border dispute that could undermine peace and stability in the region as the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) pushes for economic integration. The prime ministers of the two feuding nations held talks yesterday - mediated by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - as part of efforts to hammer out a lasting cease-fire. But neither seemed in any mood to back down. "There's no conclusion," Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told reporters, providing no details. "We'll need further talks." During the summit's plenary session on Saturday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had called a demand by Thailand to withdraw troops from the area "irrational and unacceptable". "It's Thailand that has to withdraw its troops from the vicinity," he said, warning that, unless Asean stepped in, the border dispute could undermine many of the regional grouping's loftier goals. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had insisted his country had no ill intention toward his eastern neighbour but, after three-party talks, reiterated there was little room for outside intervention. "We have a number of bilateral mechanisms that are functioning," Mr Abhisit said, referring to Cambodia's attempt to seek a settlement through the International Court of Justice. "This is something that we should talk about ... and prove to the world that, as members of Asean, this can be resolved," he said. The dispute - allegedly over control of ancient temples claimed by the two nations - has stirred nationalist sentiment on both sides. Repeated outbreaks of fighting have killed nearly 20 people in the last two weeks, and another 100,000 have fled their homes. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the summit, Mr Abhisit said he would go to the polls on July 3. With elections approaching, the border issue is one which he can try to use to unite Thais behind him. The party seen as the biggest rival of Mr Abhisit's Democrats is Peua Thai, a political vehicle for exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who has close ties with Mr Hun Sen and was briefly even an official adviser to him. Today Online, May 09, 2011Monday, May 9, 2011
JAKARTA - South-east Asian leaders made little headway yesterday in helping Thailand and Cambodia end a deadly border dispute that could undermine peace and stability in the region as the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) pushes for economic integration. The prime ministers of the two feuding nations held talks yesterday - mediated by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - as part of efforts to hammer out a lasting cease-fire. But neither seemed in any mood to back down. "There's no conclusion," Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told reporters, providing no details. "We'll need further talks." During the summit's plenary session on Saturday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had called a demand by Thailand to withdraw troops from the area "irrational and unacceptable". "It's Thailand that has to withdraw its troops from the vicinity," he said, warning that, unless Asean stepped in, the border dispute could undermine many of the regional grouping's loftier goals. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had insisted his country had no ill intention toward his eastern neighbour but, after three-party talks, reiterated there was little room for outside intervention. "We have a number of bilateral mechanisms that are functioning," Mr Abhisit said, referring to Cambodia's attempt to seek a settlement through the International Court of Justice. "This is something that we should talk about ... and prove to the world that, as members of Asean, this can be resolved," he said. The dispute - allegedly over control of ancient temples claimed by the two nations - has stirred nationalist sentiment on both sides. Repeated outbreaks of fighting have killed nearly 20 people in the last two weeks, and another 100,000 have fled their homes. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the summit, Mr Abhisit said he would go to the polls on July 3. With elections approaching, the border issue is one which he can try to use to unite Thais behind him. The party seen as the biggest rival of Mr Abhisit's Democrats is Peua Thai, a political vehicle for exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who has close ties with Mr Hun Sen and was briefly even an official adviser to him. Today Online, May 09, 2011
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