2008-10-14
PHNOM PENH, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen here Tuesday set 12:00 a.m. (0500 GMT) as the ultimate time for over 80 Thai troops to withdraw from the Veal Intry area, about 2,000 meters west of the Preah Vihear Temple.
Both commanders have been discussing the issue since 08:30 local time Tuesday at the area, the premier told the Fourth Asia Forum, which was attended by hundreds of foreign guests and diplomatic corps.
"If the talk fails, weapon conflict will break out. But we don't want to see weapon conflict occur," he said.
The Veal Intry area is a very important location for reaching the Preah Vihear Temple, he said, adding that the Thai troops want to cut the road to the temple.
"I told Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat yesterday in a candid talk that he has to tell Thai premier that the Cambodian side won't bear any loss of its land to Thailand," he said.
Thailand shouldn't treat Cambodia like this, because both are members of ASEAN and neighboring countries, he said.
Cambodia and Thailand used to have good cooperation with each other, especially in the field of fighting against terrorism, he said.
"The (usual) relationship between the two sides still continues normally at this minute," he added.
Here Monday, Hun Sen once asked Thailand to evacuate its troops from the Veal Intry area within 24 hours, and warned of war otherwise.
"The Veal Intry area is the dead or alive point for us," he told reporters at the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation after meeting with visiting Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat.
"The situation at the Veal Intry area is too hot. They have to remove tonight or tomorrow. If they don't remove from the Veal Intry area, war will be waged," he added.
The Veal Intry area is on the Phnom Trap hill side, approximately 2,000 meters from the west side of the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, which is situated on the only way leading to the Preah Vihear Temple.
In July, tensions ran high after the ancient Preah Vihear Temple was awarded world heritage status by UNESCO, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.
The tension later turned into a military confrontation, in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks. In mid-August, most troops evacuated and just a few dozen soldiers stationed near the temple.
However, bilateral talks to discuss withdrawing troops from around the temple were postponed late August amid political turmoil in Thailand.
In October at the border area, at least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were wounded during an exchange of gunfire, and two other Thai soldiers were seriously injured after stepping on a landmine.
Editor: Wang Yan
PHNOM PENH, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen here Tuesday set 12:00 a.m. (0500 GMT) as the ultimate time for over 80 Thai troops to withdraw from the Veal Intry area, about 2,000 meters west of the Preah Vihear Temple.
Both commanders have been discussing the issue since 08:30 local time Tuesday at the area, the premier told the Fourth Asia Forum, which was attended by hundreds of foreign guests and diplomatic corps.
"If the talk fails, weapon conflict will break out. But we don't want to see weapon conflict occur," he said.
The Veal Intry area is a very important location for reaching the Preah Vihear Temple, he said, adding that the Thai troops want to cut the road to the temple.
"I told Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat yesterday in a candid talk that he has to tell Thai premier that the Cambodian side won't bear any loss of its land to Thailand," he said.
Thailand shouldn't treat Cambodia like this, because both are members of ASEAN and neighboring countries, he said.
Cambodia and Thailand used to have good cooperation with each other, especially in the field of fighting against terrorism, he said.
"The (usual) relationship between the two sides still continues normally at this minute," he added.
Here Monday, Hun Sen once asked Thailand to evacuate its troops from the Veal Intry area within 24 hours, and warned of war otherwise.
"The Veal Intry area is the dead or alive point for us," he told reporters at the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation after meeting with visiting Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornviwat.
"The situation at the Veal Intry area is too hot. They have to remove tonight or tomorrow. If they don't remove from the Veal Intry area, war will be waged," he added.
The Veal Intry area is on the Phnom Trap hill side, approximately 2,000 meters from the west side of the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, which is situated on the only way leading to the Preah Vihear Temple.
In July, tensions ran high after the ancient Preah Vihear Temple was awarded world heritage status by UNESCO, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.
The tension later turned into a military confrontation, in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks. In mid-August, most troops evacuated and just a few dozen soldiers stationed near the temple.
However, bilateral talks to discuss withdrawing troops from around the temple were postponed late August amid political turmoil in Thailand.
In October at the border area, at least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were wounded during an exchange of gunfire, and two other Thai soldiers were seriously injured after stepping on a landmine.
Editor: Wang Yan
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