Cambodian -Thai border Talks Resume

(BangkokPost.com, dpa) - Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sompong Amornvivat met his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong on Monday in Phnom Penh to jointly work out the border dispute between the two countries, the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

Both ministers met for several hours but achieved little more than a promise of a joint border task force meeting for late October, the Cambodian side said.

However, Minister Hor Namhong said he had warned Mr Sompong that although Cambodia understood Thailand's ongoing internal strife, the issue must be quickly resolved or Cambodia would abandon bilateral talks and go to a mediator such as the International Court in The Hague.

"We asked the Thai government to solve the border dispute completely and in appropriate time. I again and again urged the Thai government not to delay," Mr Hor Namhong told a press conference.

Cambodia closed the border at the 11th century Preah Vihear temple in June ahead of its own national elections as anti-Thai government protesters gathered on the Thai side of the border.

Shortly after the temple was declared a Cambodian World Heritage site by UNESCO in July over Thai objections, Thai troops entered what they claim is disputed territory and Cambodia says is sovereign. The dispute later spread to two more border temples.
Talks to discuss withdrawing troops from around Preah Vihear were postponed in late August amid political turmoil in Thailand but Mr Hor Namhong said the two sides had reached an agreement in principal to withdraw troops Monday, although nothing was signed.
Mr Sompong, who is scheduled to pay a courtesy visit to King Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen before his return to Bangkok Monday evening declined to comment to reporters after the meeting.

Both countries have continually accused each other for encroaching on their territories near at least three ancient temples. They include Preah Vihear, Ta Moan Thom and Ta Kwai.

On October 3, Thai and Cambodian soldiers opened fire near Preah Vihear, which left three soldiers wounded . Two were Thais and the other was a Cambodian troop. Two more Thai soldiers were also seriously injured last week after stepping on a landmine near the ruins.