Staff writer October 15, 2008 12:00am
*CAMBODIA and Thailand have pulled back from the edge of war after threats to turn a disputed border area into a "life-and-death battle zone".* Cambodian military officials said yesterday afternoon that Thai troops had withdrawn from the area, hours after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen <http://www.cnv.org.kh/personInfo/biography_of_hun_sen.htm> issued an ultimatum. Hun Sen had earlier set a noon deadline for Thailand to remove about 80 soldiers he said had encroached on to a small patch of land near Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple. Cambodia warned Thailand it faced "a large-scale armed conflict" if the troops did not leave. "We try to be patient, but I told the Thai foreign minister . . . the area is a life-and-death battle zone," Hun Sen said. Thai Premier Somchai Wongsawat <http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSBKK3702620080917> yesterday called a meeting of military leaders. Tensions between the neighbours flared in July after the Preah Vihear <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasat_Preah_Vihear> temple was awarded world heritage status <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasat_Preah_Vihear> by the UN, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24497613-5012752,00.html --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
