Cambodia willing to meet with Thailand ahead of troop pullout

Jul 20, 2011
Source:Xinhua

Cambodia on Wednesday welcomed meetings with Thailand before troop withdrawals from the surrounding area of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

"Cambodia does not kick out either General Border Committee meeting or Joint Border Committee meeting with Thailand ahead of the troop pullout," Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation Hor Namhong told reporters at the Phnom Penh International Airport upon his arrival from The Hague, the Netherlands.

"But I think that the new Thai government will take office soon, so the caretaker government Abhisit Vejjajiva has no time to talk on this issue."

He said Cambodia hopes that the new Thai government in coming weeks probably can negotiate on it.

The deputy PM's remarks came after Thai caretaker Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday Thailand is seeking talks with Cambodia before it honors the order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to withdraw troops from the disputed area next to the Preah Vihear temple.

"We need to talk to Cambodia first to make sure that the country will not send other forms of military into the area, and that the people living in the community are really civilians, and not military-related personnel," The Nation quoted Abhisit as saying. "At this moment, our troops are stationed at their posts at the border to take care of our territory."

Hor Namhong said Cambodian troops now still station firmly to defend the territory at the newly defined militarized zone.

"For Cambodia, when the Indonesian observers arrive, we will withdraw our troops to honor the Court's order," he said, adding he has expected Indonesia to send observers to the area as soon as possible.

The U.N. Court on Monday ordered Cambodia and Thailand to immediately withdraw their military personnel currently present in the provisional demilitarized zone around the area of the Preah Vihear temple, but did not set the deadline for the pullout.

It added that Cambodia and Thailand should continue their co- operation within the ASEAN and, in particular, allow the observers appointed by that organization to have access to the provisional demilitarized zone.

Cambodia and Thailand agreed to accept Indonesian observers to monitor a ceasefire on their respective border side on Feb. 22 at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, but the deployment has always been delayed because Thailand demanded that Cambodian soldiers and locals be withdrawn from the disputed area near the temple first.

The World Court awarded the Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962 and the temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

The border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand occurred just a week after the enlistment as Thailand claims the ownership of 4. 6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) of scrub next to the temple.

Since then, both sides have built up military forces along the border and periodic clashes have happened, resulting in the deaths of troops and civilians on both sides.