Cambodia's leader, Hun Manet, warned Cambodian and Thai politicians yesterday against escalating tensions between the two countries over border disputes.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony at Asia Euro University, he urged politicians and ultra-nationalists not to exploit such disputes for political gain, reported the Khmer Times.
Hun Manet's remarks follow an altercation between Cambodian women and Thai soldiers near Ta Moan Thom Temple last week.
"I take this opportunity to call on all politicians, both Cambodian and Thai, not to interfere in technical matters. Politicians do not understand technical issues better than geographers," he said.
"Let the experts handle this matter, as border issues involve technical and international legal considerations. Let's not create unnecessary conflict."
Hun Manet added that overseas opposition politicians have recently been actively pushing nationalist rhetoric linked to Cambodia's border issues with neighbouring countries.
He cited cases such as the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA) agreement, the dispute over Koh Kut, and now the use of Ta Moan Thom Temple at the Cambodia-Thailand border as becoming propaganda tools to incite the public for political advantage.
Hun Manet stated that concerns over border issues are not exclusive to nationalists, stating everyone cares about border issues.
"The Cambodian government, including our border affairs officials, are also nationalists -- true nationalists -- who work to protect our territory through negotiations with neighbouring countries," he said. "However, border issues are complex and cannot be resolved overnight."
He noted that the Cambodia-Thailand border demarcation process is divided into two segments.
The first segment is from the Choam area in Oddar Meanchey province to the Cham Yeam area in Koh Kong province, where both governments have agreed to place 74 border markers.
The second segment is from the Mombei area in Preah Vihear province to Cham Yeam in Koh Kong province, where no border markers have been placed yet.
However, Cambodia possesses a 1908 map drawn by the Indochina Border Commission, which has been used as a basis for negotiations since 1998. In areas where no agreement has been reached, discussions are ongoing to establish border markers.
Regarding the border situation at Ta Moan-Ta Krabey temple complex, where Cambodian and Thai soldiers had their recent altercation, Hun Manet said Cambodia and Thailand had already reached an agreement under a 2000 Memorandum of Understanding, using the 1908 border as the basis for negotiations rather than relying on Google Maps.
The Cambodian prime minister further said that his country maintains its position of resolving border issues through peaceful means.
"However, Cambodia also retains the right to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity by all means, including military force, if any country dares to use armed force to invade Cambodia," he said.