151-Request in Interpretation of the ICJ Case of June 15, 1962 (Cambodia vs Thailand)
The kingdom of Cambodia has brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) a request for interpretation of judgment it had rendered in the case 045- Temple of Preah Vihear (Cambodia vs Thailand).
In that instance, it had decided that the monument had decided that the monument was situated on Cambodian territory and that Thailand “Thailand is under an obligation to withdraw any military . . . forces . . . stationed . . . at the Temple, or in its vicinity on Cambodian territory”. Cambodia had also filed a request instituting for the indication of provisional measures, due to the increase of violence between the parties around the Temple. Fearing that irreparable damage might be done, the applicant asked the Court to take any measure it deemed appropriate. In its order of July 18th, 2011, the ICJ ordered both parties to ”withdraw their military personnel from a “provisional demilitarized zone” surrounding the Temple.
The Court ruled on the merits of the case in its judgment of November 11th, 2013. It said that the point of contention was the definition to be given to the term ”surroundings” of the Temple. After examining all the documents and pleadings submitted during the initial proceedings, the ICJ concluded that the expression ”surroundings situated in Cambodian territory” should be construed as extending at least to the area where a police detachment had been stationed at the time of the original proceedings. It subsequently identified and defined the limits of that area.
This summary is provided for informational purposes only, does not involve the responsibility of Dome and should in no way be used as a substitute for a careful reading of the judgment and order of the case.