KL prepared to go to Hague over row

KL prepared to go to Hague over row

KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Malaysia is prepared to go to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to resolve a row with Thailand over its plans to construct a 27 kilometer wall along the Malaysia-Thai border, officials said yesterday.

But the officials stressed that the government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad would first exhaust all avenues for talks with Bangkok before taking the matter to the ICJ.

"We are confident that our neighbors in Thailand will see that our plan is legitimate. We are confident that they will view the project objectively in the spirit of ASEAN cordiality," a Foreign Ministry official said.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasem Kasemsri said recently that the world court should be asked to rule on Malaysia's plans. Thai Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said Malaysia should suspend the project as it could "unnecessarily strain relations" between the two countries".