BANGKOK (AFP) — Cambodia and Thailand both signalled their willingness Tuesday to stand down troops amassed along their disputed border, but neither showed any immediate signs of making the first move.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told reporters that his country's troops were ready to withdraw, but indicated that Thailand would have to pull out first from the disputed patch of land near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.
"For us, there is no problem at all. The issue is that it is up to Thailand to decide to act. For us, (we are ready) any time," Hun Sen said in Phnom Penh.
"The problem is the timing and how long it will take the Thai side to have a political decision from the government," he said.
His comments came as a Thai foreign ministry official said the government in Bangkok may ask parliament for approval before withdrawing troops, which could delay the process by several weeks.
"Both countries need to pass their domestic legitimacy processes," ministry spokesman Tharit Charunvat told AFP.
Thailand's army chief confirmed that any withdrawal from the border area would take time.
"The resolution from the meeting between Cambodia and Thailand (on Monday) will help relieve tension and improve the situation," Anupong Paojinda told AFP by phone.
"Lowering the troops at the border, however, needs to receive an order from the government first."
But Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej sought to reassure the public, telling reporters: "The foreign ministry is talking to the military. Everything is fine."
The current uncertainty follows high-level talks on Monday aimed at removing up to 1,500 soldiers from the temple area and ending the two-week long dispute.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong met with his newly-appointed Thai counterpart Tej Bunnag in the northeast Cambodian town Siem Reap.
After about 12 hours of talks, the foreign ministers said they would ask their governments to redeploy the troops from the area near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, a decision which eased tensions on the border.
"The situation is now a little bit better than in past days. Soldiers keep their weapons in one place and are walking around," said Major General Srey Dik, commander of Cambodian forces in the disputed area.
"We hope that soon the troops from both sides will withdraw from the area," he added.
The ruins of the Khmer temple belong to Cambodia, but the most practical entrance begins at the foot of a mountain in Thailand, and both sides claim some of the surrounding territory.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia, but surrounding land remains in dispute.
Cambodia had asked the United Nations Security Council to take up the latest conflict over the temple but suspended its request to allow the current talks to proceed.
The latest conflict has inflamed nationalist sentiment in both countries. In Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen's strong stance on the temple helped him win general elections on Sunday.
In Thailand, embattled premier Samak is threatened by nationalist protesters who have made the temple a core issue in calling for his resignation.
Both sides have toned down their rhetoric after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice voiced concern about the conflict and called for a peaceful resolution.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told reporters that his country's troops were ready to withdraw, but indicated that Thailand would have to pull out first from the disputed patch of land near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.
"For us, there is no problem at all. The issue is that it is up to Thailand to decide to act. For us, (we are ready) any time," Hun Sen said in Phnom Penh.
"The problem is the timing and how long it will take the Thai side to have a political decision from the government," he said.
His comments came as a Thai foreign ministry official said the government in Bangkok may ask parliament for approval before withdrawing troops, which could delay the process by several weeks.
"Both countries need to pass their domestic legitimacy processes," ministry spokesman Tharit Charunvat told AFP.
Thailand's army chief confirmed that any withdrawal from the border area would take time.
"The resolution from the meeting between Cambodia and Thailand (on Monday) will help relieve tension and improve the situation," Anupong Paojinda told AFP by phone.
"Lowering the troops at the border, however, needs to receive an order from the government first."
But Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej sought to reassure the public, telling reporters: "The foreign ministry is talking to the military. Everything is fine."
The current uncertainty follows high-level talks on Monday aimed at removing up to 1,500 soldiers from the temple area and ending the two-week long dispute.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong met with his newly-appointed Thai counterpart Tej Bunnag in the northeast Cambodian town Siem Reap.
After about 12 hours of talks, the foreign ministers said they would ask their governments to redeploy the troops from the area near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, a decision which eased tensions on the border.
"The situation is now a little bit better than in past days. Soldiers keep their weapons in one place and are walking around," said Major General Srey Dik, commander of Cambodian forces in the disputed area.
"We hope that soon the troops from both sides will withdraw from the area," he added.
The ruins of the Khmer temple belong to Cambodia, but the most practical entrance begins at the foot of a mountain in Thailand, and both sides claim some of the surrounding territory.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia, but surrounding land remains in dispute.
Cambodia had asked the United Nations Security Council to take up the latest conflict over the temple but suspended its request to allow the current talks to proceed.
The latest conflict has inflamed nationalist sentiment in both countries. In Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen's strong stance on the temple helped him win general elections on Sunday.
In Thailand, embattled premier Samak is threatened by nationalist protesters who have made the temple a core issue in calling for his resignation.
Both sides have toned down their rhetoric after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice voiced concern about the conflict and called for a peaceful resolution.
9 comments:
All of you concern only the power!! Fucking A Sam Rain Sy (called A Venn Ta), A Kim Sokha(called A Chhout Tek Moit), A Ranarith( called A Chhout Srey), A Keo Puth Raksmey( called A Lob Lob), A Hun Sen ( called Ah Hun Kvak)!!!! all of you don't care our nation faces with the evil neighboring that occupy illegally into our land.
Please all khmer stop vote for All idoit leader of political party in Cambodia at next election poll because They care the power and how to get the powerful only.
Stop play the stupid game by using the people for your power.
Khmer need to think our land first, no time to care with these crazy man!!!
From Khmer boring with politic in Cambodia.
Good comments hee hee
Good ideas but bad comments
If UN can reforme the army and the police forces than world would hear how the CPP cheat and controle the election it is criminal in action!
Nguyen:
"Good dog ah Hun good dog."
Hun dog: "warf! warf!" And he wiggle his tale.
Narrator: A happy dog is a healthy dog.
"The problem comes from the same root, which is mapping based on unequal treatment by powerful countries in the past," he said (Thai Vice-Admiral Pratheep).
= There is no one on this planet Earth who has more irrational thinking and illogical reasoning than the Thai leaders! These Thai leaders like to twist Cambodian history to fit their need and their ego to show the world of how powerful and influential the Thai politic on Cambodia!
Now! I want to know. What is so unequal treatment about the Thai who doesn't want to be colonized by the European Powers? If the Thai were willing to submit to colonialism and maybe the Thai can get special treatment from the British or the French! But the problem is the Thai was never wanted to be colonized and now they complain about unequal treatments which help save them from colonialism!
So who can blame Cambodia for wanting to be French Protectorate which helps save Cambodia from Thai and Vietnamese aggression! For Cambodia being a French Protectorate, Cambodian people were never treated anything special more than the Vietnamese! Because the French allowed the Vietnamese to work as Cambodian government officials at every level in Cambodian government while Cambodian people were looking down by the French as being lazy, uneducated, and not hard working! So is this how the Thai people want to be treated under the French colonial master? Of course not! So what is the point for the Thai to complain about unequal treatment under the French?
Now that the Thai leaders are in the spot light on the issue of violation of Cambodian territory, The French map of Cambodia which recognized by International Community and United Nations will be used to verify every square inch of Cambodian territory on Thai side and the Vietnamese side to see if they both had violated Cambodian territory in anyway shape or form! Cambodian leaders can’t afford to have endless ongoing bilateral talk between the Thai and the Viet to solve Cambodian border conflict because bilateral talk is nothing more than a whisper which nobody can hear or understand including International Community or the United Nations!
I believe International Community and United Nations have a role to play in helping Cambodia in verifying the French International Map to end the Thai-Viet-Cambodian conflict! Otherwise the Thai and the Viet will insist on using their own map to violate Cambodian territory forever! At the end, I believe there won’t be peace and stability in the mainland Southeast Asia!
Now you know why even the Vietnamese government blocked Cambodian leaders from seeking the help from United Nations to solve the Thai-Cambodia conflict because the Vietnamese government is also in violation of Cambodian territory too!
How to settle Preah Vihear Dispute ?
No Problem with Preah Vihear issue-- we will win-win
Because-
1. We have much more Army Generals than Thailand has( we have a lot of Generals from 1 stars to 4 Top Gold stars
2. We have more Excellencies than Thailand has
3. We have more Samdachs, Oknha, Bandits (Phd.), Prime ministers (in 1995), Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Deputy Prime Ministers, provincial Governors.... that Thailand has/ or than other counties world wide...
4. We have a lot of Military equipment such as Military trucks which are used to Transport illegal Loggings and Military Vehicles used countrywide to anywhere such as to restaurants and Bars...... We have a lot of Guns/pistols which are used every day in the cities and county sides to fire on people in ladies affairs disputes.
5. We have much more Luxury Cars-Lexus Landcruisers with Army & Police Plate Numbers that represent Our Top Generals and Excellency countrywide.....
6. The best way to settle such a problem is to send some hundreds of Cambodian Generals to the Disputed Borders.....Thais will be afraid of our numerous Multi-Generals which increase from day to day.
7. Send the so-called Development Army (the main Army troop playing Roles in Land dispute in Kampong Speu to Preah Vihear... they have experiences in illegally Occupying people's Land ... now let them to occupy our Preah Vihear.
8. But is the National Embarrassment that our Army (Royal Cambodian Armed Forces) have used a lot of forces to fight with Local unarmed-Cambodians in Land grabbling... so our Armed forces (Army, Police Economy Police, and military Police-PM) may be too weakened now...
9. It is a National Embarrassment that most of our Generals just attack in the Cities and with Local Cambodians in Land disputes, small Disputes in Night Clubs, Traffic Accidents, Karaoke and any unnecessary Fire shots.
Note: when I saw the Cambodians army in Dispute with Thai Army ..It reminds me about the Royal Cambodian Army disputing with Unarmed People in Land Disputes in Cambodia; They can protect their land But for Preah Vihear how will it be going on....?
"Thai uses the same Trick as Cambodia uses in Land dispute with Local Khmer People-- as of when the empowered men deploy army to illegally occupy people's land... ".
Can we use or do we dare to use " Iron Fist /Steel Fist " ????
From Excellency Phd. Bandit, General 7 Diamond Stars, Oknha Achar Knoy
Good comment 11:26pm, but it's a little bit over the limit.
Polite comment is better.
k.serey.
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