PHNOM PENH, June 3 — Former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has called for a resolution of the long-standing border dispute with Thailand through the International Court of Justice (ICJ), warning that continued inaction could lead to a conflict resembling the Gaza Strip.
Speaking at a joint session of Cambodia’s Senate and National Assembly commissions on Sunday, Hun Sen also declared the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding between the two nations “no longer applicable” due to the lack of progress over 25 years, according to a report in The Nation.
He stressed that Cambodia had made a courteous invitation for Thailand to jointly submit the case to the ICJ, hoping for a diplomatic and peaceful resolution.
“Cambodia will not violate the territory of other nations,” he said, adding that the country is merely seeking to protect borders inherited from the French colonial era and preserved under King Norodom Sihanouk.
He revealed that recent clashes along the border had resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier, further heightening the urgency of resolving the issue.
Hun Sen warned that if violence were to escalate, Cambodia would immediately appeal to the United Nations Security Council for intervention.
During the same session, the joint commission unanimously backed the government’s plan to bring the dispute before the World Court.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hun Manet reaffirmed the government’s determination to proceed with the ICJ case, regardless of whether Thailand agrees to participate.
He also called on all Cambodian politicians and the public to support the armed forces, as talks under the Joint Boundary Commission continue.
