Thai FM holds urgent meeting to ponder next move

June 27, 2011
Source:Xinhua

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on Sunday called an urgent meeting to consider the next move after Thailand withdrew from the World Heritage Convention in protest against the World Heritage Committee's decision to consider Cambodia's management plan of the Preah Vihear temple.

Representatives from Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Culture and Natural Resources and Environment attended the meeting.

Culture Minister Suwit Khunkitti, head of the Thai delegation negotiating with the World Heritage Committee in Paris, said on Saturday his delegation had informed the WHC that Thailand resigned as a member country to the convention.

The withdrawal came after the panel ignored Thailand's concern that the consideration of the management plan would complicate Thai-Cambodian border dispute.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the 11th- century Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia. The temple was listed as the World Heritage Site in July 2008 and since then the relations between the two countries have become strained.