Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)
Showing posts with label JBC meeting in Phnom Penh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JBC meeting in Phnom Penh. Show all posts
Friday, April 10, 2009
Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Khmer-Siem Ramvong
Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Progress made in Thai stalling tactics during border negotiations?
Progress in Preah Vihear talks
April 9, 2009
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
April 9, 2009
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Significant progress has been made on the Thai-Cambodian boundary settlement after a serious border dispute last week killed eight soldiers and injured nearly two dozens others, said The Thai-Cambodian Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC).
During a meeting, jointly chaired by Vasin Teeravechyan, advisor to the Foreign Ministry and his Cambodian counterpart Var Kim Hong, on April 6 and 7 in Phnom Penh, both sides agreed to call the security unit in the disputed area near to Preah Vihear temple "Temporary Military Monitoring Groups",
It is still undecided whether the name of the Hindu temple on the cliff at the border of the two countries will be Preah Vihear or Phra Viharn.
However, the JBC managed to sign agreed minutes from three meetings, pending from the first special meeting in November in Siem Reap.
The agreed minutes of the JBC meeting in November, February and the latest one this week are important diplomatic documents required by internal legal procedure before the boundary demarcation can begin.
The Thai parliament needed to approve the documents before allowing further work and agreeing a budget for the demarcation of the area.
The commission also agreed that a joint survey team to explore the fifth section of the boundary from Si Sa Ket's Kathalalak district to Phusing district could begin in May this year.
Both sides discussed a draft for the Joint Survey on Sector 6 (Boundary Pillar 1 - Khao Sattasom). The JBC requested technical officers to finalise their discussion of the draft before the end of May 2009.
Border disputes at the area near Preah Vihear temple have sparked two clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops in last October 2008 and last week, in which eight soldiers killed and nearly two dozen others injured.
The border conflict has barred tourists from visiting the site, which was listed as a world heritage in July last year.
Local commanders on both sides agreed during Sunday's meeting that they would strictly control their troops to prevent recurrence of the incident, enabling negotiations to demarcate the boundary.
During a meeting, jointly chaired by Vasin Teeravechyan, advisor to the Foreign Ministry and his Cambodian counterpart Var Kim Hong, on April 6 and 7 in Phnom Penh, both sides agreed to call the security unit in the disputed area near to Preah Vihear temple "Temporary Military Monitoring Groups",
It is still undecided whether the name of the Hindu temple on the cliff at the border of the two countries will be Preah Vihear or Phra Viharn.
However, the JBC managed to sign agreed minutes from three meetings, pending from the first special meeting in November in Siem Reap.
The agreed minutes of the JBC meeting in November, February and the latest one this week are important diplomatic documents required by internal legal procedure before the boundary demarcation can begin.
The Thai parliament needed to approve the documents before allowing further work and agreeing a budget for the demarcation of the area.
The commission also agreed that a joint survey team to explore the fifth section of the boundary from Si Sa Ket's Kathalalak district to Phusing district could begin in May this year.
Both sides discussed a draft for the Joint Survey on Sector 6 (Boundary Pillar 1 - Khao Sattasom). The JBC requested technical officers to finalise their discussion of the draft before the end of May 2009.
Border disputes at the area near Preah Vihear temple have sparked two clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops in last October 2008 and last week, in which eight soldiers killed and nearly two dozen others injured.
The border conflict has barred tourists from visiting the site, which was listed as a world heritage in July last year.
Local commanders on both sides agreed during Sunday's meeting that they would strictly control their troops to prevent recurrence of the incident, enabling negotiations to demarcate the boundary.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Preah Vihear: two days of Cambodian-Thai talks, but no agreement over name
08-04-2009
By Ros Dina
Ka-set
By Ros Dina
Ka-set
Preah Vihear or Phra Viharn? After a two-day meeting of the Joint Border Committee of Cambodia and Thailand (JBC) on April 6th and 7th, Cambodians and Thais did not manage to reach an agreement over that question, which, according to diplomats from both Kingdoms, is but the last stumbling block between Cambodia and Thailand with a view to solve peacefully a conflict which was revived due to an exchange of gunfire along the border they share.
At the end of the second day of talks which finished at 7pm at the newly-inaugurated Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh, Var Kim Hong, the co-chairman of the Cambodian side of the Committee and his Thai counterpart Vasin Teeravechyan presented the result of the last three rounds of talks meant to put an end to the border dispute which started dividing both countries in July 2008 and went through a violent twist on Friday April 3rd as Thai and Cambodian soldiers faced each other near the Khmer temple of Preah Vihear.
Above all, these two days of negotiations allowed the validation of documents prepared during the first meeting: thus, the agreement reached in November 2008 at the special meeting in Siem Reap and the agreement obtained in Bangkok in February 2009 were revised and signed together with texts about the process of border delimitation, defined at the beginning of this week.
Click to Read More...
At the end of the second day of talks which finished at 7pm at the newly-inaugurated Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh, Var Kim Hong, the co-chairman of the Cambodian side of the Committee and his Thai counterpart Vasin Teeravechyan presented the result of the last three rounds of talks meant to put an end to the border dispute which started dividing both countries in July 2008 and went through a violent twist on Friday April 3rd as Thai and Cambodian soldiers faced each other near the Khmer temple of Preah Vihear.
Above all, these two days of negotiations allowed the validation of documents prepared during the first meeting: thus, the agreement reached in November 2008 at the special meeting in Siem Reap and the agreement obtained in Bangkok in February 2009 were revised and signed together with texts about the process of border delimitation, defined at the beginning of this week.
Click to Read More...
Demarcation of border set for May: govt
Wednesday, 08 April 2009
Written by Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post
Written by Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post
AFTER two days of talks, the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Commission (JBC) announced a new agreement to plant markers along the 805-km shared border in May in a move they say is independent of a recent eruption of fighting in Preah Vihear.
"Talking is talking, and fighting is fighting. It is separate," Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, told reporters during the talks.
He added, however, that following Friday's firefight, officials believed Thailand was moblising troops along the border, including tanks.
Cambodia's top border negotiator, Var Kimhong, said after the border talks finished late Tuesday that the technical work of the border commission would start in May, with the commission aiming to demarcate and post markers from Choam Srangam to Ta Moan temple, both of which are located in Oddar Meanchey province.
"We will not drag this out, and we have arranged for a demining operation to clear the area before the [demarcation] teams move through,"
Var Kimhong said in a press conference after the talks wrapped up.
He added that a new working group would be posting markers in "priority areas" around the Preah Vihear temple, beginning in July.
The two-day meeting, which began Monday in Phnom Penh, was part of a process launched after an earlier clash in October in which four soldiers were killed. The last meeting of the Joint Commission, in Thailand, ended in February with the two neighbours failing to reach agreement on any of the key points.
"The meeting for these two days has been a success," said Vasin Teeravechyan, Thailand's co-chairman of the JBC. "We have started posting the markers, but more work needs to be done." He added that the Thai parliament will debate the issue soon and that foreign ministers from the two countries would meet to hammer out an agreement to allow solders currently stationed at Keo Sekha Kirisvara Pagoda in Preah Vihear to be withdrawn.
"Talking is talking, and fighting is fighting. It is separate," Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, told reporters during the talks.
He added, however, that following Friday's firefight, officials believed Thailand was moblising troops along the border, including tanks.
Cambodia's top border negotiator, Var Kimhong, said after the border talks finished late Tuesday that the technical work of the border commission would start in May, with the commission aiming to demarcate and post markers from Choam Srangam to Ta Moan temple, both of which are located in Oddar Meanchey province.
"We will not drag this out, and we have arranged for a demining operation to clear the area before the [demarcation] teams move through,"
Var Kimhong said in a press conference after the talks wrapped up.
He added that a new working group would be posting markers in "priority areas" around the Preah Vihear temple, beginning in July.
The two-day meeting, which began Monday in Phnom Penh, was part of a process launched after an earlier clash in October in which four soldiers were killed. The last meeting of the Joint Commission, in Thailand, ended in February with the two neighbours failing to reach agreement on any of the key points.
"The meeting for these two days has been a success," said Vasin Teeravechyan, Thailand's co-chairman of the JBC. "We have started posting the markers, but more work needs to be done." He added that the Thai parliament will debate the issue soon and that foreign ministers from the two countries would meet to hammer out an agreement to allow solders currently stationed at Keo Sekha Kirisvara Pagoda in Preah Vihear to be withdrawn.
Thai and Cambodia JBC has progress on border disputes [... but no agreements were made]
April 8, 2009
The Nation
The Nation
The Thai-Cambodian Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary (JBC) made a significant progress in the latest meeting on boundary settlement after border skirmish last week.
The meeting between April 6-7 in Phnom Penh was jointly chaired by Vasin Teeravechyan, advisor to the Foreign Ministry and his Cambodian counterpart Var Kim Hong.
An official said the meeting was able to settle the difference on the title of security unit in the disputed area which was adjacent to Preah Vihear temple.
They agreed to name it as "Temporary Military Monitoring Groups", an official said.
However, it remained no solution on the appellation of the Hindu temple on the cliff at the border of the two countries whether to call it Preah Vihear or Phra Viharn.
Despite of that, the JBC managed to sign three agreed minutes pending since the first special meeting in November in Siem Reap.
The agreed minutes of the JBC meeting in November, February and the latest meeting in April are important diplomatic documents required by internal legal procedure before the boundary demarcation to get started.
The Thai parliament needed to approve the documents before allocating budget for the demarcation and provisional arrangement at the area.
Border dispute at the area near Preah Vihear temple since last year sparked two clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops in October and last week which killed combined eight soldiers and injured nearly two dozens others.
The border conflict has barred tourists from visiting the site which was listed as a world heritage since July last year.
The meeting between April 6-7 in Phnom Penh was jointly chaired by Vasin Teeravechyan, advisor to the Foreign Ministry and his Cambodian counterpart Var Kim Hong.
An official said the meeting was able to settle the difference on the title of security unit in the disputed area which was adjacent to Preah Vihear temple.
They agreed to name it as "Temporary Military Monitoring Groups", an official said.
However, it remained no solution on the appellation of the Hindu temple on the cliff at the border of the two countries whether to call it Preah Vihear or Phra Viharn.
Despite of that, the JBC managed to sign three agreed minutes pending since the first special meeting in November in Siem Reap.
The agreed minutes of the JBC meeting in November, February and the latest meeting in April are important diplomatic documents required by internal legal procedure before the boundary demarcation to get started.
The Thai parliament needed to approve the documents before allocating budget for the demarcation and provisional arrangement at the area.
Border dispute at the area near Preah Vihear temple since last year sparked two clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops in October and last week which killed combined eight soldiers and injured nearly two dozens others.
The border conflict has barred tourists from visiting the site which was listed as a world heritage since July last year.
If Preah Vihear belongs to Siam then they call it whatever they want, but this temple belongs to Cambodia and the Siamese must respect its Khmer name
Thailand insists on calling Preah Vihear temple as Pra Viharn
PHNOM PENH, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Thailand has insisted on naming the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple as "Pra Viharn" in accordance with its Thai pronunciation, national media said on Wednesday.
The divergence therefore became a major impediment for Cambodia to solve its border disputes with Thailand during a two-day meeting of the Joint Border Committee of Cambodia and Thailand (JBC) here on Monday and Tuesday, Chinese-language newspaper the Jian Hua Daily quoted Var Kim Hong, chairman of the Cambodian sideof JBC, as saying.
Cambodia proposed to list the name as "Preah Vihear temple (Pra Viharn temple)" in relevant documents and draft agreements, but Thailand still couldn't accept it, he added.
Meanwhile, Vasin Teeravechyan, chairman of the Thai side of JBC, told reporters on Tuesday that Thailand didn't turn down the name of Preah Vihear, but demanded that Pra Viharn be used together with Preah Vihear as the name of the temple at international conferences.
Thailand believed that the difference about how to name the temple should be solved within JBC, and this matter actually had nothing to do with UNESCO (the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization), he added.
In the meantime, as a positive result of the JBC meeting, Cambodia and Thailand agreed to plant border posts in July within the disputed areas near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Technicians from both sides will jointly survey the land near the temple with the priority of planting border posts there and therefore helping contain armed clashes, according to Var Kim Hongand Vasin Teeravechyan.
Two rounds of exchanges of heavy gunfire took place last Friday after Thai troops intruded on the Cambodian land near the temple, according to a statement issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
These were the worst military confrontations since both troops started to station near the temple in July 2008.
In addition, two armed clashes at the same area last year once sparked brief concerns of war.
The two neighboring countries have never fully demarcated their over 800-km-long border, mainly due to different interpretations of historical maps, as well as the landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
The divergence therefore became a major impediment for Cambodia to solve its border disputes with Thailand during a two-day meeting of the Joint Border Committee of Cambodia and Thailand (JBC) here on Monday and Tuesday, Chinese-language newspaper the Jian Hua Daily quoted Var Kim Hong, chairman of the Cambodian sideof JBC, as saying.
Cambodia proposed to list the name as "Preah Vihear temple (Pra Viharn temple)" in relevant documents and draft agreements, but Thailand still couldn't accept it, he added.
Meanwhile, Vasin Teeravechyan, chairman of the Thai side of JBC, told reporters on Tuesday that Thailand didn't turn down the name of Preah Vihear, but demanded that Pra Viharn be used together with Preah Vihear as the name of the temple at international conferences.
Thailand believed that the difference about how to name the temple should be solved within JBC, and this matter actually had nothing to do with UNESCO (the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization), he added.
In the meantime, as a positive result of the JBC meeting, Cambodia and Thailand agreed to plant border posts in July within the disputed areas near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Technicians from both sides will jointly survey the land near the temple with the priority of planting border posts there and therefore helping contain armed clashes, according to Var Kim Hongand Vasin Teeravechyan.
Two rounds of exchanges of heavy gunfire took place last Friday after Thai troops intruded on the Cambodian land near the temple, according to a statement issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
These were the worst military confrontations since both troops started to station near the temple in July 2008.
In addition, two armed clashes at the same area last year once sparked brief concerns of war.
The two neighboring countries have never fully demarcated their over 800-km-long border, mainly due to different interpretations of historical maps, as well as the landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
Cambodia, Thailand say progress made in border talks [... no concrete results though]
Cambodian senior minister in charge of border affairs Var Kim Hong (R) shakes hands with Thai advisor to minister of Foreign Affairs and co-chairman of Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary Vasin Teeravechayan (L) as they exchange documents during the special session of Cambodian-Thai Joint Commission on Demarcation for Land Boundary at Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)Wednesday, April 08, 2009
PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodian and Thai negotiators said Tuesday they had made progress in efforts to resolve a border stand-off near an ancient temple which last week flared into deadly gunbattles.
Three Thai troops were killed following clashes on Friday between the neighbouring countries over disputed land around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, the deadliest fighting for six months in a long-running feud.
Border officials from Thailand and Cambodia on Monday began meetings aimed at resolving their competing territorial claims, part of a process launched after an earlier clash in October killed four soldiers.
"We have made a good success," Vasin Teeravechyan, chief Thai negotiator, told reporters at the conclusion of the two-day talks.
Negotiators said they would be able to make progress on demarcating the border near the temple when they had finished some technical work.
"We have signed on three documents which are basic documents that allow us to continue working on border demarcation," said Var Kimhong, the chairman of Cambodia's border committee.
But the two countries failed to reach agreement on the spelling of the temple in official documents.
The World Court gave ownership of the temple -- which Thailand calls Phra Viharn -- to Cambodia in 1962, but tensions flared last July when the cliff-top building was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.
The current dispute centres on five square kilometres of land around the temple which has yet to be officially demarcated. The most accessible entrance to the ruins is in Thailand.
The Cambodia-Thailand border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.
Cambodian and Thai military officials have also met several times over the past few days to prevent fresh fighting.
Three Thai troops were killed following clashes on Friday between the neighbouring countries over disputed land around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, the deadliest fighting for six months in a long-running feud.
Border officials from Thailand and Cambodia on Monday began meetings aimed at resolving their competing territorial claims, part of a process launched after an earlier clash in October killed four soldiers.
"We have made a good success," Vasin Teeravechyan, chief Thai negotiator, told reporters at the conclusion of the two-day talks.
Negotiators said they would be able to make progress on demarcating the border near the temple when they had finished some technical work.
"We have signed on three documents which are basic documents that allow us to continue working on border demarcation," said Var Kimhong, the chairman of Cambodia's border committee.
But the two countries failed to reach agreement on the spelling of the temple in official documents.
The World Court gave ownership of the temple -- which Thailand calls Phra Viharn -- to Cambodia in 1962, but tensions flared last July when the cliff-top building was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.
The current dispute centres on five square kilometres of land around the temple which has yet to be officially demarcated. The most accessible entrance to the ruins is in Thailand.
The Cambodia-Thailand border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.
Cambodian and Thai military officials have also met several times over the past few days to prevent fresh fighting.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Cambodia, Thailand say progress made in border talks [-Is it really or is it simply a view by Thailand alone?]
07 April 2009
AFP
AFP
PHNOM PENH: Cambodian and Thai negotiators said Tuesday they had made progress in efforts to resolve a border stand-off near an ancient temple which last week flared into deadly gunbattles.
Three Thai troops were killed following clashes on Friday between the neighbouring countries over disputed land around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, the deadliest fighting for six months in a long-running feud.
Border officials from Thailand and Cambodia on Monday began meetings aimed at resolving their competing territorial claims, part of a process launched after an earlier clash in October killed four soldiers.
"We have made a good success," Vasin Teeravechyan, chief Thai negotiator, told reporters at the conclusion of the two-day talks.
Negotiators said they would be able to make progress on demarcating the border near the temple when they had finished some technical work.
“We have signed on three documents which are basic documents that allow us to continue working on border demarcation," said Var Kimhong, the chairman of Cambodia's border committee.
But the two countries failed to reach agreement on the spelling of the temple in official documents.
The World Court gave ownership of the temple - which Thailand calls Phra Viharn - to Cambodia in 1962, but tensions flared last July when the cliff-top building was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.
The current dispute centres on five square kilometres of land around the temple which has yet to be officially demarcated. The most accessible entrance to the ruins is in Thailand.
The Cambodia-Thailand border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.
Cambodian and Thai military officials have also met several times over the past few days to prevent fresh fighting.
Three Thai troops were killed following clashes on Friday between the neighbouring countries over disputed land around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, the deadliest fighting for six months in a long-running feud.
Border officials from Thailand and Cambodia on Monday began meetings aimed at resolving their competing territorial claims, part of a process launched after an earlier clash in October killed four soldiers.
"We have made a good success," Vasin Teeravechyan, chief Thai negotiator, told reporters at the conclusion of the two-day talks.
Negotiators said they would be able to make progress on demarcating the border near the temple when they had finished some technical work.
“We have signed on three documents which are basic documents that allow us to continue working on border demarcation," said Var Kimhong, the chairman of Cambodia's border committee.
But the two countries failed to reach agreement on the spelling of the temple in official documents.
The World Court gave ownership of the temple - which Thailand calls Phra Viharn - to Cambodia in 1962, but tensions flared last July when the cliff-top building was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.
The current dispute centres on five square kilometres of land around the temple which has yet to be officially demarcated. The most accessible entrance to the ruins is in Thailand.
The Cambodia-Thailand border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.
Cambodian and Thai military officials have also met several times over the past few days to prevent fresh fighting.
Another futile bilateral talk with Thailand: JBC meeting ends with "little progress"
Cambodia, Thai border talks end with 'little progress'
Tuesday April 7, 2009
Tuesday April 7, 2009
PHNOM PENH (Kyodo) - Cambodian and Thai border negotiators ended two days of talks on Tuesday in Phnom Penh, but little progress was made, the chief Cambodian negotiator said. The border dispute goes beyond the border demarcation line near an ancient temple. There is no agreement on the name of the border temple itself.
Cambodia, Thailand agree to plant border posts near Preah Vihear temple
PHNOM PENH, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and Thailand here on Tuesday agreed to plant border posts in July within the disputed areas near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, said senior officials.
Technicians from both sides will jointly survey the land near the temple with the priority of planting border posts there and therefore helping contain armed clashes, according to Var Kim Hong, chairman of the Cambodian side within the Joint Border Committee of Cambodia and Thailand (JBC), and his Thai counterpart Vasin Teeravechyan.
"We will help stop accidents of armed clashes," said Var Kim Hong.
The two chairmen made these remarks to reporters after JBC conducted a two-day meeting on demarcation issues in Phnom Penh.
Two rounds of armed confrontations took place last Friday after Thai troops with weapons intruded on Cambodian land near the temple, and led to death and casualty on the Thai side, according to a statement issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Since July 2008, troops from both sides have stationed near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and two armed confrontations last year sparked brief concerns of war.
The two neighboring countries have never fully demarcated their disputed border, mainly due to different interpretations of historical maps, as well as the landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.
Technicians from both sides will jointly survey the land near the temple with the priority of planting border posts there and therefore helping contain armed clashes, according to Var Kim Hong, chairman of the Cambodian side within the Joint Border Committee of Cambodia and Thailand (JBC), and his Thai counterpart Vasin Teeravechyan.
"We will help stop accidents of armed clashes," said Var Kim Hong.
The two chairmen made these remarks to reporters after JBC conducted a two-day meeting on demarcation issues in Phnom Penh.
Two rounds of armed confrontations took place last Friday after Thai troops with weapons intruded on Cambodian land near the temple, and led to death and casualty on the Thai side, according to a statement issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Since July 2008, troops from both sides have stationed near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and two armed confrontations last year sparked brief concerns of war.
The two neighboring countries have never fully demarcated their disputed border, mainly due to different interpretations of historical maps, as well as the landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.
Thais at fault in fatal border shooting: govt
Cambodia's top border negotiator, Var Kimhong, speaks to reporters after bilateral talks on Monday. (Photo by: SOVANN PHILONG)Tuesday, 07 April 2009
Written by Sam Rith and Vong Sokheng
The Phnom Penh Post
Cambodia's top border negotiator says before the talks that last week's violence occurred because ‘Thais did not respect international law'.
TALKS over disputed territory between Cambodia and Thailand opened Monday with the Kingdom's chief border official, Var Kimhong, blaming Thai soldiers for last week's clashes that marked the worst violence yet during a nearly nine-month standoff over land around Preah Vihear temple.
"The Thais have to understand international law," Var Kimhong said before the two days of discussions that, although scheduled before Friday's fighting, are likely to be dominated by the bloody shootout that left at least three Thai troops dead.
"I would like to say that the accident last week occurred because the Thais did not respect international law," Var Kimhong said, adding that one of the aims of the talks was to reach agreement on redeploying soldiers away from a pagoda near Preah Vihear temple that has been a flashpoint for conflict in the past.
"We have to resolve the border dispute soon in order to avoid another incident like the one that occurred last week," he said.
Heavy fighting broke out twice on Friday after RCAF troops said the Thai military crossed into Cambodia's Veal Antri, or Eagle Field, a section of the border where fighting also broke out last October.
Elsewhere on the Cambodian side of the border, a market burned to the ground after taking small arms and rocket fire, witnesses said.
The clashes also damaged the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July, just before Thai troops first occupied what Cambodia claims is its territory around the monument.
On the agenda
Var Kimhong said the agenda for this week's meeting of the Joint Border Commission had been set before Friday's clashes.
A draft agenda distributed before the meeting Monday showed that officials would discuss the minutes from the February commission meeting in Bangkok, plans for fact-finding missions to determine the condition and location of boundary markers and a "draft provisional agreement" to move soldiers away from the area near Preah Vihear temple.
TALKS over disputed territory between Cambodia and Thailand opened Monday with the Kingdom's chief border official, Var Kimhong, blaming Thai soldiers for last week's clashes that marked the worst violence yet during a nearly nine-month standoff over land around Preah Vihear temple.
"The Thais have to understand international law," Var Kimhong said before the two days of discussions that, although scheduled before Friday's fighting, are likely to be dominated by the bloody shootout that left at least three Thai troops dead.
"I would like to say that the accident last week occurred because the Thais did not respect international law," Var Kimhong said, adding that one of the aims of the talks was to reach agreement on redeploying soldiers away from a pagoda near Preah Vihear temple that has been a flashpoint for conflict in the past.
"We have to resolve the border dispute soon in order to avoid another incident like the one that occurred last week," he said.
Heavy fighting broke out twice on Friday after RCAF troops said the Thai military crossed into Cambodia's Veal Antri, or Eagle Field, a section of the border where fighting also broke out last October.
Elsewhere on the Cambodian side of the border, a market burned to the ground after taking small arms and rocket fire, witnesses said.
The clashes also damaged the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July, just before Thai troops first occupied what Cambodia claims is its territory around the monument.
On the agenda
Var Kimhong said the agenda for this week's meeting of the Joint Border Commission had been set before Friday's clashes.
A draft agenda distributed before the meeting Monday showed that officials would discuss the minutes from the February commission meeting in Bangkok, plans for fact-finding missions to determine the condition and location of boundary markers and a "draft provisional agreement" to move soldiers away from the area near Preah Vihear temple.
[Thai] Army won't send more troops to temple area [... or so it claims]
Forces will be rotated, tensions ease after talks
7/04/2009
BANGKOK POST AND AFP
7/04/2009
BANGKOK POST AND AFP
The army will not be deploying more troops in the disputed border area in and around the Preah Vihear temple despite the clashes last week with Cambodia, Second Army commander Wiboonsak Neepal says.
Lt Gen Wiboonsak yesterday said instead of pouring in reinforcements, the army would rotate its forces to bring in fresh legs.
The rotation is necessary if morale and confidence is to be boosted in the area which was the scene of last week's clashes.
Tensions look to have eased after talks on Sunday between Suranaree Task Force commander Kanok Netrakawesan and Maj Gen Srey Doek, head of Cambodia's military division 3.
The two generals arm wrestled after their talks to ease tensions between the two armies.
Maj Gen Kanok said the two countries had no plan to withdraw their troops from the area, so the possibility of future confrontation could never be ruled out.
Nothing could be taken for granted no matter how disciplined the soldiers, he said.
Two Thai troops and two Cambodians were killed in the fighting on Friday. Another 10 Thai troops were injured, one seriously. The clashes took place in a 4.6 sq km area claimed by the two sides.
Thailand claims the area is in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket, while Cambodia insists it is in Preah Vihear province.
Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon will hold talks with his Cambodian counterpart Tea Banh aimed at preventing more clashes at the general border committee meeting in Siem Reap on April 27-28, an army source said.
The two neighbours have also started joint boundary commission talks in Phnom Penh aimed at resolving competing claims surrounding the Preah Vihear temple.
"The incidents that have happened show that the border issue needs to be resolved very quickly in order to avoid more incidents," Var Kim Hong told reporters before the talks.
Var Kim Hong co-chairs the committee with Thailand's Vasin Teravechyan.
The last meeting of the JBC ended in February with the two sides failing to reach an agreement on any of the key points, including the spelling of Preah Vihear in official documents.
Cambodia insists on using Preah Vihear while Thailand wants to refer to it as both Preah Vihear and Phra Viharn.
The World Court in 1962 gave ownership of the ruins of the Hindu temple to Cambodia, but tensions flared last July when the cliff-top structure was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.
Lt Gen Wiboonsak yesterday said instead of pouring in reinforcements, the army would rotate its forces to bring in fresh legs.
The rotation is necessary if morale and confidence is to be boosted in the area which was the scene of last week's clashes.
Tensions look to have eased after talks on Sunday between Suranaree Task Force commander Kanok Netrakawesan and Maj Gen Srey Doek, head of Cambodia's military division 3.
The two generals arm wrestled after their talks to ease tensions between the two armies.
Maj Gen Kanok said the two countries had no plan to withdraw their troops from the area, so the possibility of future confrontation could never be ruled out.
Nothing could be taken for granted no matter how disciplined the soldiers, he said.
Two Thai troops and two Cambodians were killed in the fighting on Friday. Another 10 Thai troops were injured, one seriously. The clashes took place in a 4.6 sq km area claimed by the two sides.
Thailand claims the area is in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket, while Cambodia insists it is in Preah Vihear province.
Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon will hold talks with his Cambodian counterpart Tea Banh aimed at preventing more clashes at the general border committee meeting in Siem Reap on April 27-28, an army source said.
The two neighbours have also started joint boundary commission talks in Phnom Penh aimed at resolving competing claims surrounding the Preah Vihear temple.
"The incidents that have happened show that the border issue needs to be resolved very quickly in order to avoid more incidents," Var Kim Hong told reporters before the talks.
Var Kim Hong co-chairs the committee with Thailand's Vasin Teravechyan.
The last meeting of the JBC ended in February with the two sides failing to reach an agreement on any of the key points, including the spelling of Preah Vihear in official documents.
Cambodia insists on using Preah Vihear while Thailand wants to refer to it as both Preah Vihear and Phra Viharn.
The World Court in 1962 gave ownership of the ruins of the Hindu temple to Cambodia, but tensions flared last July when the cliff-top structure was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.
Thailand recognizes number of casualties during the 03 April 2009 clash: 22 dead and 27 injured
06 April 2009
Deum Ampil News
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Deum Ampil News
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
At the Joint Border Committee (JBC) meeting held on 06 April 2009 at the Council of Ministers, Thailand border committee admitted that during the 03 April 2009 clash, 22 Thai soldiers died and 27 were injured.
The border issue following the casualties in Preah Vihear
JBC meeting in Phnom Penh of 06 April 2009 (Photo: Leang Delux, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)06 April 2009
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French
The clash between Cambodian and Thai soldiers last week did not delay the meeting of the Joint Border Commission (JBC) for the land border demarcation.
The two parties met on 06 April in the new building of the Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh for a two-day session. “The Cambodia-Thailand border committee has opened a meeting to resolve lingering problems remaining from the meeting in Bangkok last February,” Var Kim Hong, the co-president of the Khmer-Thai JBC.
According to the agenda of this meeting, several topics will be discussed: the border demarcation between the two countries based on aerial photos, discussion of a provisional arrangement project for troops redeployment around the site.
Var Kim Hong did not comment on the shootings that took place in Preah Vihear, but he concluded by saying that “the event requires a quick solution in order to avoid new incidents.” To Var Kim Hong, Thailand is responsible for the incident: “They did not respect Article 5 of the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) stipulating that resolutions should not be done through force, but rather through peaceful negotiations,” Var Kim Hong stressed.
The two parties met on 06 April in the new building of the Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh for a two-day session. “The Cambodia-Thailand border committee has opened a meeting to resolve lingering problems remaining from the meeting in Bangkok last February,” Var Kim Hong, the co-president of the Khmer-Thai JBC.
According to the agenda of this meeting, several topics will be discussed: the border demarcation between the two countries based on aerial photos, discussion of a provisional arrangement project for troops redeployment around the site.
Var Kim Hong did not comment on the shootings that took place in Preah Vihear, but he concluded by saying that “the event requires a quick solution in order to avoid new incidents.” To Var Kim Hong, Thailand is responsible for the incident: “They did not respect Article 5 of the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) stipulating that resolutions should not be done through force, but rather through peaceful negotiations,” Var Kim Hong stressed.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Cambodia, Thailand to speed up border demarcation
PHNOM PENH, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials of the Joint Border Committee (JBC) of Cambodia and Thailand began a meeting here on Monday to discuss the border demarcation issue, which aims to ease military tension between the two countries.
Before the two-day special session of the JBC on demarcation of land boundary, Var Kim Hong, chairman of the border committee of Cambodia, told reporters that they want to speed up border demarcation to avoid further armed clashes between the two countries at the area near Preah Vihear temple.
After Monday's talk, Var Kim Hong told reporters that all questions will be responded after ending the meeting on Tuesday.
Two rounds of gunfire exchange took place last Friday after well-armed Thai troops intruded on Cambodian land near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, according to a statement issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Since July 2008, troops from both sides have stationed near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and two armed confrontations last year sparked brief concerns of war.
The two neighboring countries have never fully demarcated their disputed border, partly due to the landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.
Before the two-day special session of the JBC on demarcation of land boundary, Var Kim Hong, chairman of the border committee of Cambodia, told reporters that they want to speed up border demarcation to avoid further armed clashes between the two countries at the area near Preah Vihear temple.
After Monday's talk, Var Kim Hong told reporters that all questions will be responded after ending the meeting on Tuesday.
Two rounds of gunfire exchange took place last Friday after well-armed Thai troops intruded on Cambodian land near the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, according to a statement issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Since July 2008, troops from both sides have stationed near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and two armed confrontations last year sparked brief concerns of war.
The two neighboring countries have never fully demarcated their disputed border, partly due to the landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.
Cambodia, Thailand Hold New Round Of Border Talks
Monday April 6th, 2009
PHNOM PENH (AFP)--Cambodian and Thai negotiators on Monday began a new round of talks aimed at resolving a border stand-off which flared into deadly gunbattles near an ancient temple last week.
Three Thai troops were killed in Friday's clashes over disputed land around the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, the deadliest fighting for six months in a long-running feud between the neighboring countries.
The two-day meeting in Phnom Penh starting Monday, which aims to resolve competing claims surrounding the temple, was part of a process launched after an earlier clash in October when four people were killed.
"The incidents that have happened show that the border issue needs to be resolved very quickly in order to avoid more incidents in the future," Var Kimhong, the chairman of Cambodia's border committee, said.
"There are many issues that need to be resolved, such as the provisional arrangement of the army and the fact that the foreign army have to pull out from our territory," he said before meeting his Thai counterpart Vasin Teeravechyan.
The last meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission, in Thailand, ended in February with the two neighbors failing to reach agreement on any of the key points, including the spelling of Preah Vihear in official documents.
The World Court gave ownership of the temple - which Thailand calls Phra Viharn - to Cambodia in 1962, but tensions flared in July when the cliff-top building was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.
The current dispute centers on almost five square kilometers of land around the temple which has yet to be officially demarcated due to disagreements over which maps to use. The most accessible access to the ruins is in Thailand.
The Cambodia-Thailand border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.
Cambodian and Thai military officials have held several rounds of talks over the past few days to prevent fresh fighting on their border.
Three Thai troops were killed in Friday's clashes over disputed land around the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, the deadliest fighting for six months in a long-running feud between the neighboring countries.
The two-day meeting in Phnom Penh starting Monday, which aims to resolve competing claims surrounding the temple, was part of a process launched after an earlier clash in October when four people were killed.
"The incidents that have happened show that the border issue needs to be resolved very quickly in order to avoid more incidents in the future," Var Kimhong, the chairman of Cambodia's border committee, said.
"There are many issues that need to be resolved, such as the provisional arrangement of the army and the fact that the foreign army have to pull out from our territory," he said before meeting his Thai counterpart Vasin Teeravechyan.
The last meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission, in Thailand, ended in February with the two neighbors failing to reach agreement on any of the key points, including the spelling of Preah Vihear in official documents.
The World Court gave ownership of the temple - which Thailand calls Phra Viharn - to Cambodia in 1962, but tensions flared in July when the cliff-top building was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.
The current dispute centers on almost five square kilometers of land around the temple which has yet to be officially demarcated due to disagreements over which maps to use. The most accessible access to the ruins is in Thailand.
The Cambodia-Thailand border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of civil war in Cambodia.
Cambodian and Thai military officials have held several rounds of talks over the past few days to prevent fresh fighting on their border.
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