Friday April 25, 2008
HERITAGE LISTING
Talks called on Preah Vihear site
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
Thailand will meet Cambodia in Paris at the invitation of the United
Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to
tackle the dispute over registration of the Preah Vihear temple as a
World Heritage Site. Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama will take a
delegation to the meeting in Paris on May 2-3, said a Foreign Ministry
official.
Unesco wants the two sides to talk about Cambodia's proposal to
register Preah Vihear temple _ ancient ruins on the border between the
two countries. Unesco is about to consider the request.
''Thailand is ready to negotiate with the Cambodian side about the
process,'' the official said.
Bangkok says it is not opposed to the registration of the temple by
the Phnom Penh government, but it must not affect the disputed
borderline.
The Foreign Ministry this month registered a protest after Cambodia
sent its troops to the disputed area around Preah Vihear.
Thailand said it violated the 2000 memorandum of understanding (MoU)
between the two countries over Preah Vihear.
Under the MoU, both countries agreed not to do anything to change the
area
