Thailand/Cambodia
April 2011
Clashes broke out again 22 April near the disputed Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodian-Thai border. Both Thailand and Cambodia wrote to the president of the Security Council providing their version of the recent clashes. Neither side asked the Council to convene a meeting. However, Cambodia applied to the ICJ seeking an interpretation of the Court’s 1962 judgement concerning the Temple of Preah Vihear.
February 2011
On 14 February, the Council held a private meeting following-up a letter from Cambodia to the Council president. The Council was briefed by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and the chair of ASEAN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia Marty Natalegawa. The Council also heard statements from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia, Hor Namhong, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Kasit Piromya. A Council press statement expressed grave concern about the recent armed clashes between Cambodia and Thailand. Members called on the two sides to display maximum restraint and avoid any action that may aggravate the situation. They further urged the parties to establish a permanent ceasefire, and to implement it fully and resolve the situation peacefully and through effective dialogue; expressed support for ASEAN’s efforts and encouraged the parties to continue to cooperate with the organisation in this regard. At a 22 February ASEAN meeting, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to allow unarmed Indonesian observers to monitor a ceasefire.
