Cambodia, Thai foreign ministers to meet next week on cooperation

January 28, 2011
Xinhua

Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers are scheduled to meet next week in Cambodia's Siem Reap province on cooperation.

At the invitation of Hor Namhong, Cambodian foreign minister, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya will lead a delegation to participate in the seventh meeting of the joint commission for bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand, according to the press release from the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Friday.

The meeting, to be held on Feb. 3-4, will focus on strengthening and expanding cooperation in all fields between the two countries. During the meeting, both sides will adopt the record of discussion of the meeting.

On Thursday, a new military confrontation between Cambodia and Thailand at the Preah Vihear temple area happened following a report that Cambodia had raised a national flag over Wat Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak pagoda at Preah Vihear temple and refused to remove it despite Thai side's request.

According to reports, the flag was raised after the contentious stone tablet, with a message "Here is Cambodia," was removed on Wednesday.

Spokesman for Cambodian Foreign Ministry, Koy Kuong, said Friday that it cannot be assumed that the current tension at Preah Vihear temple will be discussed at the meeting. However, it depends on whether the situation will cool down before the meeting.

However, Reth Sitha, deputy chief of general staff at Prime Minister Hun Sen's Bodyguard Unit and commander of Tank Unit, said on Friday that Cambodia has begun to enhance its military capacity.

Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008. Just a week after the enlistment, Cambodia and Thailand had border conflict due to Thai claim of the ownership of 4.6 sq km of scrub next to the temple, triggering a military build-up along the border. Periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.