ID :
25236
Sat, 10/18/2008 - 10:41
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/25236
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SURIN HOPES M'SIA WILL HELP RESOLVE THAILAND-CAMBODIA BORDER DISPUTE
SERDANG, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- Asean Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan hopes Malaysian Foreign Minister Dr Rais Yatim and his counterparts from Indonesia and Singapore will help to resolve the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia which erupted in deadly clashes this week.
"It is up to him at his level. I'm only the secretary-general. He (Rais)
volunteered to do his best and would consult his colleagues.
"I appreciate this very much," he told reporters before delivering a public
lecture on 'Asean Integration' at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), one of
Malaysia's leading universities, in conjunction with its 32nd convocation
ceremony, here Friday.
Surin will be awarded an honorary doctorate in economics by UPM during
the first session of the convocation Saturday morning.
The award is for his contributions as an eminent statesman in the Asean
region fighting for democratic rights, sustainable development and human safety.
On Wednesday, a gun-and-rocket battle near the 11th-century Preah Vihear
border temple killed two Cambodian soldiers and wounded three others. Seven Thai
soldiers were also injured.
Surin said Indonesian Foreign Minister Dr Hassan Wirajuda would be doing
the same and he had also tried to reach Singapore Foreign Minister George
Yong-Boon Yeo regarding the issue.
When asked whether Asean would send a peacemaker, Surin said both sides
still wanted to use the bilateral mechanism and Asean should respect
that.
"All we can do now is to encourage them to resolve the dispute peacefully
through their own bilateral mechanism that had been established a long time ago.
"And from what I know, both sides have pledged at the highest level to find
a peaceful solution," he said.
He revealed that he also tried to seek help from the other Asean member
countries but could not be reached.
"They are further away from the region and may feel no attachment to the
issue," he said.
On the global economic crisis, Surin said there should be no panic reaction
but precautionary steps must be taken.
-- BERNAMA
"It is up to him at his level. I'm only the secretary-general. He (Rais)
volunteered to do his best and would consult his colleagues.
"I appreciate this very much," he told reporters before delivering a public
lecture on 'Asean Integration' at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), one of
Malaysia's leading universities, in conjunction with its 32nd convocation
ceremony, here Friday.
Surin will be awarded an honorary doctorate in economics by UPM during
the first session of the convocation Saturday morning.
The award is for his contributions as an eminent statesman in the Asean
region fighting for democratic rights, sustainable development and human safety.
On Wednesday, a gun-and-rocket battle near the 11th-century Preah Vihear
border temple killed two Cambodian soldiers and wounded three others. Seven Thai
soldiers were also injured.
Surin said Indonesian Foreign Minister Dr Hassan Wirajuda would be doing
the same and he had also tried to reach Singapore Foreign Minister George
Yong-Boon Yeo regarding the issue.
When asked whether Asean would send a peacemaker, Surin said both sides
still wanted to use the bilateral mechanism and Asean should respect
that.
"All we can do now is to encourage them to resolve the dispute peacefully
through their own bilateral mechanism that had been established a long time ago.
"And from what I know, both sides have pledged at the highest level to find
a peaceful solution," he said.
He revealed that he also tried to seek help from the other Asean member
countries but could not be reached.
"They are further away from the region and may feel no attachment to the
issue," he said.
On the global economic crisis, Surin said there should be no panic reaction
but precautionary steps must be taken.
-- BERNAMA
