CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION FOR CAMBODIA

Since Cambodia won the ICJ judgment, it can afford to be somewhat generous in this mediation, and allow the Thai government to save face. The most important thing now is peace, hopefully a withdrawal of armed troops by both sides, and a guarantee of safety for visitors to the temple and villagers in the surrounding area.

You would like Thailand to agree to assist in assuring both the security and preservation of the site. Will Thailand agree to provide security forces, preferably civilian and unarmed, to help patrol the site? And will Thailand agree to participate in a joint task force or committee to monitor the preservation of the World Heritage Site? Cambodia would have to control the committee, of course—the chair would always be a Cambodian. But since the ICJ noted that both countries are responsible for protection of the site, it would be good to ensure Thai involvement.

You need to get this border issue resolved, hopefully once and for all. You already won the most important part—that the temple itself is officially in Cambodia; now you need to secure the property around it. You are willing to give some property to Thailand—it would have to be on the north side of the temple since that is where the border with Thailand is. You want a cushion around the temple property, and you want to keep more than half of the 4.6 acres. How those goals are achieved is up to you at the mediation.

You are free to agree to anything that adequately protects Cambodian interests.

[1] Established in 1945 under the UN Charter, the ICJ – sometimes referred to as the World Court – settles legal disputes between States and gives advisory opinions on legal questions that have been referred to it by authorized UN organs or specialized agencies.

Date: 2014-12-29; view: 1135