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World Court Rules In Favor Of Cambodia In Dispute With Thailand


pdogg

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Cambodia should have sovereignty over disputed land around the Preah Vihear temple on the border with Thailand, the UN's highest court has ruled.

 

The International Court of Justice in the Hague said Thailand must withdraw any soldiers from the area.

 

The long-standing rift has previously led to clashes between the two nations, who both lay claim to the land.

 

A 1962 verdict by the court declared the temple to be Cambodian, but did not rule on the area around it.

 

Cambodia sought a clarification of the ruling two years ago, after fighting erupted.

 

Delivering the judgement, Peter Tomka, president of the International Court of Justice, said the court had decided "that Cambodia had sovereignty over the whole territory of the promontory of Preah Vihear".

 

"In consequence, Thailand was under an obligation to withdraw from that territory the Thai military or police forces or other guards or keepers that were stationed there," he said.

Both sides agreed to withdraw troops from the disputed area in December 2011.

 

On Saturday, the chief of Cambodia's military forces on the Thailand border called an emergency meeting after Thai aircraft were seen flying low around disputed land near the temple.

 

However, Cambodian regional commander General Srey Deuk told the BBC he expected no problems with the Thai military after Monday's verdict.

 

He said no troop reinforcements had been brought up to the temple.

 

But fears remain about possible violence in border villages, stirred up by nationalist groups.

 

One Thai nationalist group, the Thai Patriotic Network, has said it will reject any judgement from the ICJ, according to The Nation newspaper. The group has already petitioned the court to throw out the case.

 

The territory has been a point of contention for over a century.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24897805

 

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