Songkitti Jaggabatara (L) and Pol Saroeun (R) (Photo: Khmer Sthabna)By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
24 August 2009
Top military commanders for Cambodia and Thailand met Monday to ease mounting military pressure over a prolonged border standoff and recent maritime grievances.
Gen. Pol Saroeun, commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, met his Thai counterpart, Gen. Songkitti Jaggabatra, following protests from Thailand of recent offshore oil exploration initiated by Cambodia.
The two also discussed potential removal of troops from the border near Preah Vihear temple, where they have been entrenched since July 2008, said Chhum Socheath, spokesman for the Cambodian Defense Ministry.
“The two sides spoke in the name of the two states,” he said. “We unite and cooperate in keeping peace along the border of the two nations for not having the standoff and to let the border committees of the two countries solve [the dispute]. Besides that, we are prepared to meet military officials of the two countries in all levels more often.”
The Thai commander said the border issue was not a problem, “because the two nations are neighbors and have since ancient times shared the same culture and tradition,” he said. The Cambodian commander said he requested Prime Minister Hun Sen withdraw a number of troops from the border.
The two sides also agreed to develop the border area to improve people’s livelihoods there. They agreed to hold a joint Buddhist ceremony to raise money for pagodas.
The Thai delegation was scheduled to visit the temples of Kampong Thom and Siem Reap provinces Tuesday.
Gen. Pol Saroeun, commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, met his Thai counterpart, Gen. Songkitti Jaggabatra, following protests from Thailand of recent offshore oil exploration initiated by Cambodia.
The two also discussed potential removal of troops from the border near Preah Vihear temple, where they have been entrenched since July 2008, said Chhum Socheath, spokesman for the Cambodian Defense Ministry.
“The two sides spoke in the name of the two states,” he said. “We unite and cooperate in keeping peace along the border of the two nations for not having the standoff and to let the border committees of the two countries solve [the dispute]. Besides that, we are prepared to meet military officials of the two countries in all levels more often.”
The Thai commander said the border issue was not a problem, “because the two nations are neighbors and have since ancient times shared the same culture and tradition,” he said. The Cambodian commander said he requested Prime Minister Hun Sen withdraw a number of troops from the border.
The two sides also agreed to develop the border area to improve people’s livelihoods there. They agreed to hold a joint Buddhist ceremony to raise money for pagodas.
The Thai delegation was scheduled to visit the temples of Kampong Thom and Siem Reap provinces Tuesday.
11 comments:
Why are the generals doing the talking on borders? Why not the politicians?
These are the last 7 Khmer Provinces that Thai has been took recently :
1/ Surin (call Khmer Soren)
2/ Buriram (or Boreiram)
3/ Srah Keo (or Sah Keo)
4/ Sisaket (or Sri Saket)
5/ Chanthaburi
6/ Trat
7/ Ubon Ratchathani
And others Khmer Provinces need to give back also to Cambodia that Thai has been pick up from Cambodia in year 1833 during Khmer King Ang Chan II in that period khmer has been lost the war again Thai and Annam,
32/ Nakhon Ratchasima
40/ Prachin Buri
44/ Chachoengsao
45/ Chon Buri
At 1904 and 1907, Thai has agreed to give back to Cambodia only 4 Provinces :
1/ Siem Reap,
2/ Battambang,
3/ Svay Sisophon,
4/ Posat
These provinces has been back officially to Cambodia in 1947 in the Cambodia Map during The King Sihanouk Government.
lolz! crazy Khmer/Thai politicians..
6:08am is right! cambodia should continue to fight and reclaims those 7-provinces back from Ah Chor Siamese, khmer army is capable to invade and reclaims all of those provinces back, Siamese army is weak! they are not tough like Vietnamese army....
Former khmer rouge said...
Thailand is rich and fully equipped with modern weapons only! but their armies are bunch of pussy and they're sure knew how to ran fast like lightning, they used to look down, making fun, mocking at poor khmer soldier, on their clothes, no shoe, wore sandle, carry rusty AK-47, our poor soldiers were mocking, laughing by Thai black soldier at Wat Keo Kurisvarak....the first fighting erupted started from Thai side that mocking at khmer soldier, all problems were started from Thai black soldier!!
Gen: Pol Saroeun must keep up strengthen our militray, cambodia must has strong military power ever...stop neighbor from look down!
These Thai thieves are just acting nice on the outside, but inside they will start another crazy dogs. Just don't trust these Thai thieves anymore!!!
Agree! we shouldn't trust them 100%! these neighbors country usually say one thing and do other thing instead...sign by hand and erase by foot...
I find Thai along the border are rudeness poeple, alot of khmer refugees were shot and killed by them, but these people can speake khmer languages, and why they are so rude to khmer people..?
Why the PhD from hanoi drees like monkey?
it's not over until it's all spelled out on paper in black and white!
Post a Comment