Cambodia ratchets up border row
Hun Sen: Withdraw troops or face conflict
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL, WASSANA NANUAM AND AGENCIES
Cambodia yesterday told Thailand to immediately withdraw troops from the
disputed border area near the Preah Vihear temple or risk a "large-scale armed
conflict".
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told reporters in Phnom Penh that he had
warned Thailand's visiting Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat that without a
quick pullout, Thai soldiers could face being fired upon by Cambodian troops,
in a further escalation of long-simmering tensions.
"If they cannot withdraw tonight, they must withdraw tomorrow," said Hun Sen.
"We have tried to be patient, but I told the Thai foreign minister today that
the area is a life-and-death battle zone."
His comments came after talks with Mr Sompong in Phnom Penh.
Mr Sompong also met with his counterpart Hor Namhong in a bid to resolve the
dispute over the area near the ancient Preah Vihear temple.
The Cambodian foreign minister said yesterday's talks failed to end in
agreement because his Thai opposite number "could not sign anything".
Hun Sen and Hor Namhong both told reporters that Cambodia could choose to
take the border dispute before an international court if it was not resolved
soon.
The comments made by the Cambodian prime minister and foreign minister
surprised Mr Sompong and Thai officials, who were adamant that the meetings had
not been a failure.
Mr Sompong said the tone during the meetings between the two countries had
been different as the Cambodian leaders agreed that both sides had to be
patient in resolving the border spat.
He said no Thai troop withdrawals would be made from the 4.6 sq km
overlapping area between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket and Preah Vihear
province
of Cambodia until the dispute over ownership is cleared through negotiations
in the Joint Boundary Commission that was set up to demarcate the land border.
Thailand reiterated its ownership over the area, Mr Sompong said in Bangkok
and rushed to report the talks to Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.
Suranaree Task Force commander Maj-Gen Kanok Netrakavaesana will hold talks
with his Cambodian counterpart tomorrow on the border issues and the Thai and
Cambodian defence ministers will meet next Tuesday , according to Mr Sompong.
Cambodian Deputy Defence Minister Gen Neang Phat said more Cambodian troops
were heading to the area after up to 500 Thai soldiers had tried to cross the
border near an ancient Hindu temple that is claimed by both countries.
"We are building up our troops at the border in response to Thailand, but I
cannot reveal the number," he told reporters.
Maj-Gen Srey Deok, who oversees the Cambodian military in the disputed area,
said: "Thai troops have already entered the area. They are confronting our
troops."
But Maj-Gen Kanok denied that more troops had been sent to the disputed area
near the Preah Vihear temple.
Thailand and Cambodia have 10 soldiers each at the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara
pagoda near the Preah Vihear temple and 45 around the compound on joint patrol,
according to the agreement between the two countries to ease border tension.
The two countries also have back-up troops near the border.
The number of soldiers there remained unchanged, Maj-Gen Kanok said.
Maj-Gen Kanok slammed Cambodia for distorting information and taking
advantage of the political crisis in Thailand to launch an offensive move for
its
own political benefit.
The Suranaree chief, his patience wearing thin, called for a quick solution
to the border spat and a clear direction to be provided by the government as
it could become an armed conflict if it was left unsettled.
"I want the government to solve this problem and make it clear what to do. If
it is left this way, nobody knows what is going to happen," he said.
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia first flared in July after the Preah
Vihear temple was awarded World Heritage status by the World Heritage
Committee.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to
Cambodia, but the surrounding land remains in dispute.
Tensions escalated into a military confrontation in which up to 1,000
Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks.
The two countries have swapped accusations of violating each other's
territory in the dispute.
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