SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AFP) — Cambodian and Thai defence ministers on Wednesday concluded border talks but said they could not agree to pull back troops from a tense territorial dispute near an ancient temple.
At least seven Thai and Cambodian troops have been killed in recent months in sporadic clashes between the neighbouring countries on disputed land around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple.
Cambodian defence minister Tea Banh and his Thai counterpart Prawit Wongsuwan began this week's talks by playing a round of golf in the northwestern tourist hub of Siem Reap on Tuesday.
The pair hailed progress by border negotiators from both countries, but Thailand's Prawit told reporters after talks finished Wednesday that troops would remain in place until the border was demarcated.
"The issue of troop pullback... from the area near Preah Vihear temple depends on the negotiation related to border demarcation that has not been agreed yet," Prawit told reporters in a joint press conference.
Tea Banh added that both countries were using all means possible to resolve the border dispute.
Troops from the two countries have been in a border standoff since tensions flared last July, when the cliff-top temple was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.
Ownership of the temple was awarded to Cambodia in 1962 but the two countries are in dispute over five square kilometres (two square miles) of land around it that has yet to be officially demarcated.
At least seven Thai and Cambodian troops have been killed in recent months in sporadic clashes between the neighbouring countries on disputed land around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple.
Cambodian defence minister Tea Banh and his Thai counterpart Prawit Wongsuwan began this week's talks by playing a round of golf in the northwestern tourist hub of Siem Reap on Tuesday.
The pair hailed progress by border negotiators from both countries, but Thailand's Prawit told reporters after talks finished Wednesday that troops would remain in place until the border was demarcated.
"The issue of troop pullback... from the area near Preah Vihear temple depends on the negotiation related to border demarcation that has not been agreed yet," Prawit told reporters in a joint press conference.
Tea Banh added that both countries were using all means possible to resolve the border dispute.
Troops from the two countries have been in a border standoff since tensions flared last July, when the cliff-top temple was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.
Ownership of the temple was awarded to Cambodia in 1962 but the two countries are in dispute over five square kilometres (two square miles) of land around it that has yet to be officially demarcated.
2 comments:
the way i see it, if there's no court or lawsuit involve, thailand will never respect the treaty. thailand have to taste the medicine for their own doing. cambodia should look into getting the international court of justice involve in all of this dealing with thailand as thailand is known for flip-flopping a lot. it's seemed like to joke dealing with thailand. no wonder cambodia hated thailand! then they wonder why cambodia hated them so much. go figure!
Cambodia can’t lose more land to Thai as stated by PM Hun Sen in the past. Cambodian minister of defense as well as every arm forces of Cambodia has to be firm with Thai bandit on border negotiation. Thai looks at Cambodian as an eight years-old kid that wants to exchange a candy with a stick. Freaken Thai so shameful in the face of the world community!
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