Thailand's case on Preah Vihear to ICJ on Monday

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has asked the government to present its case on the issue of the Preah Vihear temple ruins next Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said on Thursday.

The Cambodian government has asked the ICJ to interpret its 1962 verdict on the ownership of Preah Vihear and the disputed surrounding area.

The court ruled in 1962 that the ancient temple was on Cambodian soil, but its ruling was not clear about ownership of the immediately surrounding, disputed area of 4.6 square kilometres. Thai and Cambodian troops have clashed repeatedly as each side attempted to assert sovereignty.

Mr Thani said the court is expected to spend up to two years considering Cambodia's case.

Cambodia has also asked the ICJ to issue an injunction ordering Thailand to withdraw Thai troops from the disputed area around the Preah Vihear Temple.

caretaker Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan

The ICJ is expected to rule on the injunction request next month, said Mr Thani.

Caretaker Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) meeting will defintely be held in Cambodia, but only after a three-party joint survey of the disputed areas, including a team from Indonesia.

Gen Prawit said the Cambodian government was ready to host the meeting.

He brushed aside news reports that the GBC meeting had been cancelled, saying Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to a meeting in Cambodia at the recent meeting of Asean defence ministers.

He said that the survey and the positioning of Indonesian observers in and around the disputed areas were two different procedures.

First of all, a team of Indonesian officers would come to survey the spots where their outposts would be located.

The minister said he did not know when or if the observers would actually be deployed to the disputed areas.

The Indonesian government would make the decision later on a date to deploy observers to the disputed areas, the minister said.

The initial survey team would comprise three representatives from Indonesia, three from Cambodia and three from Thailand. The team would spend up to two days in the areas.

Gen Prawit said the Indonesian observers would not be allowed to enter the 4.6 square kilometer disputed area.

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