Cambodia has vowed to refer its border dispute with Thailand to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), citing the failure by existing mechanisms to resolve tensions over four sensitive areas along the frontier.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Cambodian government said the move follows the border clash on May 28, when Thai troops allegedly opened fire on a Cambodian military position in Techo Morokot Village, Preah Vihear province, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier.
The government condemned the incident as an unprovoked act of aggression and a violation of Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In the statement, Cambodia referred to its June 2 statement, stating that Phnom Penh will submit the dispute, concerning Mom Bei, Ta Moan Thom Temple, Ta Moan Tauch Temple and Ta Krabei Temple, to the ICJ in The Hague.
The question of sovereignty over these areas, long considered flashpoints, remains unresolved, despite earlier talks and agreements, including the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding between the two nations.
The ICJ decision received unanimous approval from a rare joint session of Cambodia’s National Assembly and Senate held on the same day.
“Cambodia has always favoured peaceful solutions, which are grounded in international law,” the statement read, referencing past ICJ rulings in Cambodia’s favour regarding the Preah Vihear Temple area in 1962 and again in 2013.
While pursuing legal action, Cambodia reiterated its commitment to dialogue and said it will host the next session of the Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundaries in Phnom Penh on June 14.
The four disputed sites will, however, be excluded from that meeting’s agenda, due to the imminent referral to the ICJ.
Cambodia expressed hope that Thailand would cooperate in bringing the case to the international court “in the spirit of fairness, trust-building and good neighbourliness,” but made clear its readiness to proceed unilaterally if necessary.
The government also called on Cambodian citizens to remain calm and to avoid fuelling nationalist sentiment. It emphasised the importance of maintaining normal relations with Thailand, particularly in trade, tourism and regional cooperation.
