Border talk results limited

Prime Minister Hun Sen greets National Police Chief Hok Lundy upon his return Sunday afternoon from Beijing. (Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN)

Monday, 27 October 2008
Written by CHEANG SOKHA AND THET SAMBATH
The Phnom Penh Post

PRIME Minister Hun Sen emerged from Friday's border talks with his Thai counterpart, Somchai Wongsawat, in good spirits but with little real progress having been made on resolving a three-month-old military standoff over disputed territory, officials said Sunday.

Both sides did agree to try to prevent a repeat of the deadly October 15 shootout near Preah Vihear temple that brought the two sides dangerously close to open conflict.

"The prime ministers' meeting was very friendly and they agreed to avoid further clashes among the military stationed along the border," said Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh, who also attended the meeting held on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting in Beijing.

"And again we have increasing cooperation and negotiation in all sectors," he added.

Cambodian and Thai commanders holding talks in Siem Reap last week also helped ease tensions, participants said.

"This meeting couldn't solve the problem of troop withdrawals. We just tried to work to prevent any clashes in future," said Sok Pheap, chief of the Cambodia-Thai relations office.

The brief firefight earlier this month was the worst outbreak of violence since the standoff began in July.

It sparked a further buildup of troops and equipment on both sides of the border, despite international pleas for calm and promises of more diplomacy from the Cambodian and Thai governments.

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said upon returning from China that the two sides will meet again on November 10 in Thailand for talks on demarcating the poorly defined border between the two countries.

Tensions flared in July shortly after the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple was listed as a Unesco World Heritage site, angering Thai nationalists who claim the ruins belong to Thailand.

The temple sustained damage during the October 15 fighting, and officials said that the government has lodged a complaint with Unesco over the incident.

"The Preah Vihear authority has sent reports and pictures of the damage to Unesco," Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said Sunday.

"Preah Vihear temple was intentionally damaged."

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AFP

Cambodia proposes 4 measures to resolve Thai-Khmer border issues [... none of which involves troops removal from Preah Vihear, unfortunately]

BANGKOK, Oct 26 (TNA) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has proposed four measures aimed at solving the Thai-Cambodian border conflict following bloody clashes between the militaries of the two neighbours earlier this month, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat said on Sunday.

Speaking during the first 'weekly television programme, its first since the present government assumed power on September 25, Mr. Sompong said Premier Hun Sen's proposals were made to his Thai counterpart Premier Somchai Wongsawat on the sidelines of the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing on Saturday.

Cambodian Prime Minister proposed that peaceful negotiations must be held between the two countries and there must not be future clashes. Problems must be solved through bilateral talks, he emphasised, and the two counties must accelerate their peace negotiations under the framework of the joint border committee, and restore bilateral trade and investment.

Buoyed by Mr. Hun Sen's remarks that peace is at hand on the Thai-Cambodian border as the soldiers of the two countries posted there have exchanged food and otherwise socialised with each other, Mr. Sompong said he is confident that the conflict would be settled after the progress registered in last Friday's initial agreement.

The tentative agreement reached by senior army officers from both countries in Cambodia's historic Siem Reap will be given to the Thai parliament for its consideration on Tuesday.

Latest border skirmishes occurred on October 15 when Thai and Cambodian military units exchanged gunfire near the ancient Preah Vihear temple with one Thai and two Cambodians dying and a number of troops from both sides wounded.

Efforts to end border row progress well: Govt [-Can stalemate be considered good progress?]

Sunday October 26, 2008

(BangkokPost.com) - The efforts to work out the Thai-Cambodian border dispute have progressed considerably, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sompong Amornvivat said on Sunday morning.

During the Government of the People programme on the state-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) channel, Mr Sompong said he planned to ask the parliament to consider the framework of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Committee (JBC) this Tuesday.

Mr Sompong said Prime Minister and Defence Minister Somchai Wongsawat had informal talks with Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen at the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem). He said both sides would like to cooperate and work out the border row peaceful through bilateral talks to spur investment of the two countries.

No forces will be used to solve the problem, the foreign minister added.

Meanwhile, he said the Thai premier had the opportunity to exchange views and ideas with foreign delegates at the Asem and they discussed ways to prepare for and deal with the global economic crisis.

As for the Asian Summit, which will be in Thailand in December, Mr Sompong said the meeting could be moved from Bangkok to the northern province of Chiang Mai, but there will be further discussions on this issue.

Both Sides Vow Restraint of Border Violence

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat, right, walks with his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong, after a bilateral meeting during the Asia-Europe Meeting in Beijing.

By Reporters, VOA Khmer
Original reports from Cambodia
24 October 2008

Click here to listen to the Khmer audio program

The prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia agreed during talks in Beijing Friday to prevent further border violence between soldiers on both sides, while military commanders in Siem Reap failed to reach an agreement on withdrawal.

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said Friday the results from Beijing and Siem Reap were similar.

“Both sides agreed to avoid conflict and maintain peace,” he said, adding that he hoped the countries would move away from armed confrontation and toward more friendly talks.

Prime Minsiter Hun Sen met with his Thai counterpart, Somchai Wongsawat, Friday morning, on the sidelines of an Asia-Europe Meeting.

Both leaders agreed to avoid further conflicts in a months-long border dispute, following a flash of violence last week in three gun battles near Preah Vihear temple, leading to the death of at least three Cambodian soldiers and one Thai.

"The two sides have to advise our troops not to have confrontations any longer," Agence France-Presse quoted Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat saying after the prime ministers spoke.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said both sides were “moving in a good track,” AFP reported.

In Siem Reap, commanders for Cambodia’s Military Region 4 and Thailand’s Military Region 2 met for the 11th round of Regional Border Committee talks.

“Both sides agreed to exercise utmost restraint in order to avoid confrontation or armed clashes, as have previously occurred,” the Thai Regional Border Committee said in a statement following Friday’s talks.

Neither meeting produced a substantial timetable for the withdrawal of heavily armed troops that have been deployed along the border since July.

Any negotiation on disputed border land had to meet the approval of Thailand’s parliament, which was scheduled to deliberate on the issues Oct. 28, the committee said. “Therefore, it was hoped that negotiation will take place soon.”

Thun Saray, president of Adhoc, welcomed the negotiations, but he appealed to the Thai side to respect the results of the meetings. Even though both sides have promised to avoid confrontation, Thailand continues to build up troops along the border, he said.

Somchai, Hun Sen agree to talks, restraint [-Only more talks are promised, nothin else]

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, left, smiles as he shakes hands with Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Sompong Amornvivat, during the seventh Asia-Europe Summit (Asem) in Beijing yesterday. The border dispute was brought up for discussion.

Saturday October 25, 2008
ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT and AFP
Bangkok Post

THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER ROW

BEIJING : The Thai and Cambodian leaders yesterday agreed to avert any future armed conflicts along the border by using bilateral talks to solve problems.

The Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) will hold a meeting within two weeks after the Thai parliament endorses a temporary framework for the negotiations next Tuesday.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) in Beijing that the border clash last week was unplanned and from now on the two sides would advise their troops to show restraint and not confront each other, Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat said yesterday.

He said Hun Sen added that the two countries would try to prevent any further armed clashes and would use existing mechanisms in order to deal with their boundary disputes.

The Cambodian leader also said the two sides would promote and improve cooperation on the regional, international and bilateral fronts.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Hun Sen told Mr Somchai that Thailand was not only a neighbour, but also a friend.

In separate talks between the Thai and Cambodian military commanders in Siem Reap yesterday, which are aimed at defusing tensions near the ancient Preah Vihear temple that erupted into a firefight on Oct 15, leaving one Thai and three Cambodian soldiers dead, both sides agreed to be more patient and avoid another clash.

"For the issue of the Preah Vihear area, both sides vowed to exercise maximum patience in order to avoid confrontation or more military clashes," the leader of the Cambodian delegation, General Chea Mon, told reporters after the meeting.

"Both sides will continue discussions on resolving the problem peacefully to ease the tension gradually," he said.

The Thai commanders, led by Lt-Gen Wiboonsak Neeparn, the Second Army commander, said there was a "friendly atmosphere" with the Cambodians, but insisted that Thailand's soldiers would stand firm.

"The Thai side strongly reiterates that the position of our troop deployments is clearly inside Thai territory," said a statement from Thai commanders released as the meetings started.

Thailand and Cambodia vow peace

The dispute has stirred intense nationalist passions on both sides

Friday, 24 October 2008
BBC News

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to resolve a border dispute peacefully "for the sake of our neighbourliness".

Bilateral talks on the issue were held on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe summit (Asem) in Beijing.

The demarcation of land around Preah Vihear temple on the countries' border has never been clearly settled.

Tensions have recently been rekindled, and last week erupted into open combat. Three Cambodian and one Thai soldier died in exchanges of fire.

'Uncontrollable'

Foreign ministers from the two countries spoke to reporters after the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart, Somchai Wongsawat, held talks earlier on Friday.

"We are not just neighbours, we are very good friends indeed," Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat said.

"His Excellency Hun Sen said the incident that already happened is not the kind that both countries want. It happened instantly. That was uncontrollable at the time."

Mr Sompong added that the two sides had been advised to avoid confrontation.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said: "What happened between us we have to solve peacefully, amicably, for the sake of our neighbourliness."

The military stand-off began in July when Cambodian troops detained three Thai protesters who had entered the site illegally.

The dispute centres on 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple.

An international court awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but land surrounding it remains the subject of rival territorial claims.

'No quick resolution'

Meanwhile, senior military officials echoed the pledge to reduce tensions as they met in Siem Reap in northern Cambodia.

Both are sides are "committed to exercising their utmost restraint to avoid confrontation or armed clashes", said Cambodian regional army commander Maj Gen Chea Mon, according to AP news agency.

The two sides had agreed to joint border patrols to defuse tensions, but according to AFP news agency these have not materialised.

The BBC's Guy De Launey, in Beijing for the Asem summit, cautions that Thailand's domestic political situation could prove a distraction - and he says Cambodia has indicated it is not expecting a swift resolution.

The issue stirs intense nationalist passions on both sides, and an army recruitment drive in border areas has been over-subscribed, he adds.

Thailand, Cambodia to step up efforts to fix border

Friday, October 24, 2008
By Ian Ransom

BEIJING (Reuters) - Thailand and Cambodia struck a reconciliatory note on Friday, putting recent clashes along their disputed border behind them and agreeing to breathe fresh life into long-standing efforts to settle the problem for good.

The leaders of the two Southeast Asian governments met on the sidelines of an Asia-Europe summit in Beijing focused on the global economic crisis.

"We are not just neighbors, we are very good friends indeed," Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat told reporters after the meeting between Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Sen.

"His Excellency Hun Sen said the incident that already happened is not the kind that both countries want. It happened instantly. That was uncontrollable at the time. But when things come to this point, the two sides have to advise our troops not to have confrontation any longer."

A Thai soldier died on Tuesday from wounds sustained in the latest flare-up on October 15 near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, which is claimed by both countries. Three Cambodian soldiers were also killed.

The confrontation was the most serious border clash in years, although tensions have now eased.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters the two sides had agreed to use "existing mechanisms" to solve the border problem.

He pointed to talks this week between military commanders from the two countries to demonstrate progress, adding: "Already, we have had very good results over this question."

MILITARY MEETING

The senior military officials met in Siem Reap, site of Cambodia's Angkor temple, to discuss the fighting and other border issues. Customs and immigration officials from the two sides also attended.

In a statement on Friday after that meeting ended, the Thai military said it had achieved its objectives, namely "to develop a good understanding and relationship between the armed forces with a view to easing tension in the border areas."

It said the meeting had discussed how to deal with the narcotics trade, among other things.

Under the Thai constitution, any agreement reached by the government with another state needs parliamentary approval. The army statement said October 28 had been earmarked for parliament to debate border matters, a date mentioned by Sompong in Beijing.

Sompong also said the two countries had to work together to demine the border area.

Cambodia's foreign ministry urged Thailand to stick to existing deals on the border issue, including agreement on where certain parts of the frontier lie and a framework to demarcate the rest of border.

"Cambodia remains fully committed to not encroaching on any inch of Thai territory and would be very pleased if Thailand responded with the same commitment," it said in a statement sent to Thailand's foreign ministry and seen by Reuters on Friday.

The hilltop Preah Vihear temple has stirred nationalist passions in both countries for generations.

The International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962, a ruling that has rankled in Thailand ever since. It did not determine the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the Hindu ruins.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Beijing and Ek Madra in Phnom Penh; Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

China: Thailand, Cambodia Resolve To Settle Border Feud

2008-10-24
AP

BEIJING, CHINA: The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia resolved Friday (24 Oct) to settle their countries' border dispute peacefully, foreign ministers from the two nations said.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart Somchai Wongsawat discussed the issue during bilateral talks early Friday on the sidelines of a 43-nation Asian-European summit in China's capital, Beijing.

Fighting near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple last week killed two Cambodians and triggered fears of a broader conflict, and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said the leaders were determined to prevent similar conflicts breaking out.

"What happened between us we have to solve peacefully, amicably, for the sake of our neighborliness," Hor Namhong said.

Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat said it was imperative that the sides order their troops not to provoke or engage in fighting.

Sompong said last week's battle "happened instantly and was uncontrollable at that time," but he added that that now "the two sides must really advise our troops on each side not to have a confrontation any longer."

The Beijing meeting came as Thai and Cambodian military officials were holding talks in the Cambodian city of Siem Reap aimed at defusing tensions along the border.

Thai Lt. Gen. Wiboonsak Neeparn said in a statement that both sides plan on exercising restraint to prevent more violence.

Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong says Cambodia wants both sides to redeploy their troops from the area to reduce tension.

The border talks ended with the two sides reiterating pledges to prevent more violence.

Thailand and Cambodia "are committed to exercising their utmost restraint to avoid confrontation or armed clashes," Cambodian regional army commander Maj. Gen. Chea Mon said.

Last week's fighting was the latest flare-up a recently revived dispute over a stretch of jungle near the Preah Vihear temple. The World Court awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but sovereignty over surrounding land has never been clearly resolved.

Cambodian, Thai leaders agree to avoid border conflict: ministers

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nambong (left) with his Thai counterpart Sompong Amornvivat in Beijing

Friday, October 24, 2008

BEIJING (AFP) — The Thai and Cambodian prime ministers agreed during a meeting here on Friday that their nations would prevent any more armed clashes over a border dispute, their foreign ministers said.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart Somchai Wongsawat, in Beijing for a summit of Asian and European leaders, met to discuss the tensions that have erupted into deadly clashes.

"The two sides have to advise our troops not to have confrontations any longer," Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat told reporters as he summarised agreements made between the two leaders.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, standing alongside Sompong, made similar remarks and described the atmosphere of the talks as "very good, very friendly."

"We are moving in a good track. Not only to solve the problem of the borders between our two countries but also on a good track to improve our neighbourliness and cooperations," Hor Namhong said.

Tensions between the two neighbours flared in July when an ancient temple on their border was awarded United Nations World Heritage status, rekindling long-running tensions over ownership of land surrounding the temple.

The situation quickly escalated into a military confrontation, with up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops facing off for six weeks, although both sides in August agreed to reduce troop numbers in the main disputed area.

The Cambodian-Thai border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Thailand, Cambodia say clashes behind them [-Who are they kidding?]

BEIJING, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Thailand and Cambodia put on a joint brave face on Friday saying they were confident this month's border clashes were behind them.

A Thai soldier died on Tuesday from wounds sustained on Oct. 15 in a 40-minute firefight near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, which is claimed by both countries. Three Cambodian soldiers were also killed.

The leaders and foreign ministers of the Southeast Asian countries met on the sidelines of an Asia-Europe summit which is focused on the global economic crisis.

"We are not just neighbours, we are very good friends indeed," Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat told reporters after the meeting between Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Sen.

"His Excellency Hun Sen said the incident that already happened is not the kind that both countries want. It happened instantly. That was uncontrollable at the time. But when things come to this point, the two sides have to advise our troops not to have confrontation any longer."

The two sides said they would resort to "all existing mechanisms to solve the problem on the border".

The confrontation was the most serious border clash in years but tensions have now eased and both sides have already said they do not expect any escalation.

The hilltop Preah Vihear temple has stirred nationalist passions in both countries for generations. The International Court of Justice awarded it to Cambodia in 1962, a ruling that has rankled in Thailand ever since, but it failed to determine the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the Hindu ruins.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Writing by Nick Macfie; Editing by Valerie Lee)