Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UN moves to resolve temple border dispute

Aaron Gray-Block,Reuters,In the Hague
Monday 18 July 2011 19:00 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The UN's highest court yesterday ordered Thailand and Cambodia to pull their soldiers out of a newly defined demilitarised border zone around an ancient temple and to revive talks to resolve the decades-old conflict.

Thailand said it would honour the ruling and Cambodia said it looked forward to the cessation of hostilities. Tens of thousands of villagers on both sides have been relocated and 18 people have been killed in fighting between the two countries since February.

In defining the disputed area around the Preah Vihear temple a demilitarised zone in a legally binding ruling by 11 votes to five, the International Court of Justice said the situation on the border remained unstable.

Both Cambodia and Thailand lay claim to the 900-year-old temple, a Unesco World Heritage site, and the land surrounding it. Sovereignty has been in dispute since the French withdrew from Cambodia in the 1950s. The temple was awarded to Cambodia in a ruling in 1962 but that did not cover the surrounding area.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in