PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AFP)--Thailand's new prime minister plans to visit neighboring Cambodia next month, Cambodian premier Hun Sen said Friday amid a simmering border dispute between the two countries.
Hun Sen said the visit was planned for Oct. 13, but he didn't say whether he and premier Somchai Wongsawat would discuss a dispute over land near ancient temples along their border, which earlier led to a weeks-long military standoff.
"If there is no change, there might be a visit by the new Thai prime minister to Cambodia next month," Hun Sen announced during the first meeting of his new government's cabinet.
A Thai foreign ministry spokesman confirmed discussions were being held about a future visit, but said no date had yet been fixed.
Cambodia and Thailand are scheduled to resume talks about their borders next Monday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York.
Bilateral meetings over the issue were postponed in late August amid anti- government street protests in Thailand.
Some of the Cambodian-Thai border remains in dispute, and the slow pace of clearing old landmines from the area has delayed its demarcation.
Tensions flared in July after the ancient Khmer temple of Preah Vihear was awarded world heritage status by the U.N. cultural body Unesco, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.
Those tensions turned into a military standoff, in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks until both sides agreed to pull back in mid-August.
Talks to discuss withdrawing the remaining troops from around Preah Vihear were postponed late last month amid the political turmoil in Thailand.
Somchai was elected by parliament earlier this month after his predecessor was stripped of office by a court during anti-government protests, which have continued.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia. However, surrounding land remains in dispute.
Hun Sen said the visit was planned for Oct. 13, but he didn't say whether he and premier Somchai Wongsawat would discuss a dispute over land near ancient temples along their border, which earlier led to a weeks-long military standoff.
"If there is no change, there might be a visit by the new Thai prime minister to Cambodia next month," Hun Sen announced during the first meeting of his new government's cabinet.
A Thai foreign ministry spokesman confirmed discussions were being held about a future visit, but said no date had yet been fixed.
Cambodia and Thailand are scheduled to resume talks about their borders next Monday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York.
Bilateral meetings over the issue were postponed in late August amid anti- government street protests in Thailand.
Some of the Cambodian-Thai border remains in dispute, and the slow pace of clearing old landmines from the area has delayed its demarcation.
Tensions flared in July after the ancient Khmer temple of Preah Vihear was awarded world heritage status by the U.N. cultural body Unesco, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.
Those tensions turned into a military standoff, in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks until both sides agreed to pull back in mid-August.
Talks to discuss withdrawing the remaining troops from around Preah Vihear were postponed late last month amid the political turmoil in Thailand.
Somchai was elected by parliament earlier this month after his predecessor was stripped of office by a court during anti-government protests, which have continued.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia. However, surrounding land remains in dispute.
3 comments:
Excellent! and please don't forget the red carpet, the flower girls, the apsara dancers, the balloons, the pigeons, and last but not least, the 2009 limo in great running condition.
IF his government survive until there.
how long is this one going to stya in office? 1 month, 5 months?? what? what a clown gov't thailand really is!
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