SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AFP)--Foreign ministers from Cambodia and Thailand opened a new round of talks Monday to try to resolve a nearly two-week military standoff over an ancient temple.
Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong and his newly appointed Thai counterpart Tej Bunnag met around 10:20 a.m. local time.
Talks between Thailand's armed forces chief General Boonsrang Niempradit and Cambodia defense minister Tea Banh ended a week ago without resolution, with neither side backing down on their territorial claims.
Thousands of soldiers have deployed since July 15 to a small patch of land around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, which sits atop a mountain overlooking the Cambodian jungle.
The ruins of the Khmer temple belong to Cambodia, but the entrance begins at the foot of a mountain in Thailand, and both sides claim some of the surrounding territory.
Neither country expects a resolution to the conflict Monday, but they hope to lay out a plan for tackling unresolved issues on the border.
"The foreign ministers will raise only their main policies, but issues regarding the border and troops need to be discussed in more detail and that will require work by different committees," Cambodia's government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said.
Thai foreign ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat told reporters Thailand was committed to resolving the crisis through negotiations.
"This is a complicated issue but with the long relationship between the two neighboring countries, the two can find a solution to solve this problem," Tharit said.
The negotiations took place at an upmarket hotel in the Cambodian tourist town of Siem Reap, whose name translates to "Thailand defeated," a legacy of ancient conflicts between the neighbors.
Nationalist tensions last erupted in 2003 in a controversy over Angkor Wat, after a Thai actress implied the ruins belonged to Thailand.
The remarks sparked a night of riots in which Bangkok's embassy and several Thai-owned businesses were burned and looted in Phnom Penh.
The latest dispute has again fueled nationalist passions in both countries.
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.
Cambodian foreign minister Hor Namhong and his newly appointed Thai counterpart Tej Bunnag met around 10:20 a.m. local time.
Talks between Thailand's armed forces chief General Boonsrang Niempradit and Cambodia defense minister Tea Banh ended a week ago without resolution, with neither side backing down on their territorial claims.
Thousands of soldiers have deployed since July 15 to a small patch of land around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, which sits atop a mountain overlooking the Cambodian jungle.
The ruins of the Khmer temple belong to Cambodia, but the entrance begins at the foot of a mountain in Thailand, and both sides claim some of the surrounding territory.
Neither country expects a resolution to the conflict Monday, but they hope to lay out a plan for tackling unresolved issues on the border.
"The foreign ministers will raise only their main policies, but issues regarding the border and troops need to be discussed in more detail and that will require work by different committees," Cambodia's government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said.
Thai foreign ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat told reporters Thailand was committed to resolving the crisis through negotiations.
"This is a complicated issue but with the long relationship between the two neighboring countries, the two can find a solution to solve this problem," Tharit said.
The negotiations took place at an upmarket hotel in the Cambodian tourist town of Siem Reap, whose name translates to "Thailand defeated," a legacy of ancient conflicts between the neighbors.
Nationalist tensions last erupted in 2003 in a controversy over Angkor Wat, after a Thai actress implied the ruins belonged to Thailand.
The remarks sparked a night of riots in which Bangkok's embassy and several Thai-owned businesses were burned and looted in Phnom Penh.
The latest dispute has again fueled nationalist passions in both countries.
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.
7 comments:
Khmer leaders must remember that the Thai politicians come in all shape and size and they disguise themselves as public officials, Thai government officials, and unarmed Thai civilian protesters, and militant Thai Buddhist monks, or Thai news journalists...and they are all the same! Their only intention is to steal what is left of the Khmer empire! They are a thief of all thieves!
Khmer government must not condone the act of stealing by the Thai militant or Thai militant Buddhist monks! It is time for the Khmer government to tell the Thai thieves to go steal somewhere else or kill all of them if they refuse!
Go Joint Development!
Yeah...How about use your house for Joint Development! How about turn your house in animal shelter or homeless shelter or drug rehabilitation center?
You can't just ask for Joint Development when you don't even shit! You can't make bread without the dough! How about you go develop on your side of the border and stop bothering with Cambodian people!
The Khmer leaders need to be careful about the Thai thief and if they are not winning and they will have to joint and by joining and the Thai hope to hijack and dictate the join development by all by themselves! And that is exactly what the Vietnamese did to the Khmer Krom in cooperating with Cambodian leaders!
No need to joint development with the dishoney nation. We can joint development with UNESCO only.
Go home A Siam Thief!!!
Cambodia make you ashamed with UNSC and ICJ!!!
To risky, you will not be able to find investor to help you develop the area.
your country will be more hurtness becaause your country exported country. if does not have market, where will you sell your product???
For Cambodia is no matter because Cambodia can importe the product from other country such as China, Viet Nam, Singapor, Japna, Korea...
Anywhere except from vietcongland and siemland.
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