A Cambodian soldier carrying B41 rockets walks past Thai soldiers (in black) as they stand guard near the Preah Vihear temple. -- PHOTO: REUTERSThe Straits Times
July 19, 2008
PREAH VIHEAR (Cambodia) - FOREIGN officials flew to the Thai-Cambodian border on Saturday as a tense five-day standoff between hundreds of troops led leaders to warn of 'deteriorating' relations between the neighbours.
US, Chinese, French and Vietnamese embassy staff said they flew by helicopter from the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh to the disputed territory on the border, adding diplomatic pressure to end the confrontation between more than 500 Thai and 1,000 Cambodian troops.
The Chinese and Vietnamese military attaches, along with French and US embassy officials, toured the area and took photos but did not talk to either side and declined to talk to reporters.
'They came here because they don't want to see a confrontation between the troops of both countries. It is useless for both countries if any armed conflict happens,' said Mr Sao Sokha, commander of Cambodia's military police.
Military commanders from both sides said they were seeking to calm the soldiers to ensure that violence does not erupt ahead of peace talks planned for Monday.
Cambodian and Thai top brass briefly met in the small Buddhist pagoda at the centre of the standoff on Saturday morning to discuss disarming troops stationed there.
'The order from the top is to do whatever it takes to avoid a gunfight. I was talking with him (Thai army Colonel Chay Huay Soongnern) to tell him that the armed forces on the frontlines should stash their weapons away,' said Srey Dik, Cambodian army commander overseeing operations.
Despite that, heavy machine guns could be seen just beyond the border gate on the Thai side Saturday.
Cambodian troops, who have been banned from drinking wine to avoid any shooting, surround the pagoda, which sits on the slope of a mountain leading to the ruins of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.
The Cambodian commander reiterated his country's claim to own the border territory, including the ancient temple site, and said other countries supported it.
'They recognise the facts. The truth is that Cambodia is the owner of the land here according to the 1904 French-Siam map,' he said.
The mood among Cambodians became tense on Friday evening when they got word of a letter from Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen saying the addition of Cambodian troops had caused the situation to 'deteriorate'.
The standoff nearly erupted into violence late Thursday, when witnesses said troops twice pointed their guns at each other during 10 tense minutes at the pagoda when 50 Cambodian troops entered the pagoda compound to protect food supplies for dozens of monks.
The confrontation began after three Thai protesters were arrested for jumping a fence to reach the temple on Tuesday. -- AFP
July 19, 2008
PREAH VIHEAR (Cambodia) - FOREIGN officials flew to the Thai-Cambodian border on Saturday as a tense five-day standoff between hundreds of troops led leaders to warn of 'deteriorating' relations between the neighbours.
US, Chinese, French and Vietnamese embassy staff said they flew by helicopter from the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh to the disputed territory on the border, adding diplomatic pressure to end the confrontation between more than 500 Thai and 1,000 Cambodian troops.
The Chinese and Vietnamese military attaches, along with French and US embassy officials, toured the area and took photos but did not talk to either side and declined to talk to reporters.
'They came here because they don't want to see a confrontation between the troops of both countries. It is useless for both countries if any armed conflict happens,' said Mr Sao Sokha, commander of Cambodia's military police.
Military commanders from both sides said they were seeking to calm the soldiers to ensure that violence does not erupt ahead of peace talks planned for Monday.
Cambodian and Thai top brass briefly met in the small Buddhist pagoda at the centre of the standoff on Saturday morning to discuss disarming troops stationed there.
'The order from the top is to do whatever it takes to avoid a gunfight. I was talking with him (Thai army Colonel Chay Huay Soongnern) to tell him that the armed forces on the frontlines should stash their weapons away,' said Srey Dik, Cambodian army commander overseeing operations.
Despite that, heavy machine guns could be seen just beyond the border gate on the Thai side Saturday.
Cambodian troops, who have been banned from drinking wine to avoid any shooting, surround the pagoda, which sits on the slope of a mountain leading to the ruins of the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.
The Cambodian commander reiterated his country's claim to own the border territory, including the ancient temple site, and said other countries supported it.
'They recognise the facts. The truth is that Cambodia is the owner of the land here according to the 1904 French-Siam map,' he said.
The mood among Cambodians became tense on Friday evening when they got word of a letter from Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen saying the addition of Cambodian troops had caused the situation to 'deteriorate'.
The standoff nearly erupted into violence late Thursday, when witnesses said troops twice pointed their guns at each other during 10 tense minutes at the pagoda when 50 Cambodian troops entered the pagoda compound to protect food supplies for dozens of monks.
The confrontation began after three Thai protesters were arrested for jumping a fence to reach the temple on Tuesday. -- AFP
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