PHNOM PENH, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Under the arrangement of the Cambodian government, deputies from Chinese, U.S., French and Vietnamese embassies Saturday flew to Preah Vihear province by helicopter to watch the five-day-long Cambodian-Thai military standoff over the land dispute.
"The situation is quieter than before," said a source at the Chinese Embassy.
Thai troops evacuated the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda it used to occupy for four days, but still blocked the only road leading to the Preah Vihear Temple, he said.
Therefore, it was hard for Cambodians to access the temple, he added.
The delegation toured the area, took photos but didn't talk to either side and declined to talk to reporters.
Both sides have reportedly stationed hundreds of troops within the border area near the temple.
Friday, the Cambodian government invited a group of domestic and foreign journalists to the region to watch the situation.
Earlier Tuesday, three Thai protesters were arrested for jumping an immigration checkpoint to reach the Preah Vihear Temple. Thai troops then came to fetch them, thus triggering face off with Cambodian troops there. Military buildup occurred day by day.
The protesters trespassed the border with intention to reclaim the 11-century classic Khmer-style temple, which the International Court of Justice awarded, together with the land it occupies, to Cambodia in 1962. The decision has rankled the Thais ever since.
The temple straddles the Thai-Cambodian border atop the Dangrek Mountain and was listed as a World Heritage Site on July 7 by the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.
"The situation is quieter than before," said a source at the Chinese Embassy.
Thai troops evacuated the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda it used to occupy for four days, but still blocked the only road leading to the Preah Vihear Temple, he said.
Therefore, it was hard for Cambodians to access the temple, he added.
The delegation toured the area, took photos but didn't talk to either side and declined to talk to reporters.
Both sides have reportedly stationed hundreds of troops within the border area near the temple.
Friday, the Cambodian government invited a group of domestic and foreign journalists to the region to watch the situation.
Earlier Tuesday, three Thai protesters were arrested for jumping an immigration checkpoint to reach the Preah Vihear Temple. Thai troops then came to fetch them, thus triggering face off with Cambodian troops there. Military buildup occurred day by day.
The protesters trespassed the border with intention to reclaim the 11-century classic Khmer-style temple, which the International Court of Justice awarded, together with the land it occupies, to Cambodia in 1962. The decision has rankled the Thais ever since.
The temple straddles the Thai-Cambodian border atop the Dangrek Mountain and was listed as a World Heritage Site on July 7 by the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.
