Cambodian troops patrolling near the disputed Preah Vihear temple on Tuesday. (Reuters)International Herald Tribune
The Associated Press
Published: October 14, 2008
PHNOM PENH: Thai troops retreated from a disputed border zone Tuesday, a Cambodian general said, averting a possible military clash after the Cambodian prime minister issued an ultimatum to Thailand to withdraw by midday.
But a Thai Army spokesman denied that any soldiers had been withdrawn and said his country was "ready" to respond militarily if attacked.
The Cambodian Army commander, Brigadier General Yim Pim, said all Thai troops had retreated and were back inside their camp about one kilometer, or half a mile, from the contested territory.
"The tense situation has now eased," Yim Pim said.
Earlier Tuesday, Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia had warned Thailand to pull back 84 troops from the area by noon. He accused the soldiers of having crossed into Cambodian territory in a disputed stretch of jungle near the Preah Vihear temple, an 11th-century site that has been a source of enmity between the two countries for decades.
"They must withdraw," Hun Sen said during a speech at an economic conference in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. "I have set the timeline for them to withdraw by 12 o'clock.
"At any cost, we will not allow Thai troops to invade this area. I would like to be clear about this."
Hun Sen added that he had ordered Cambodian Army chiefs to "take full responsibility over this area," which he called "a life-and-death battle zone."
Yim Pim, the Cambodian general, said the troops had retreated about 90 minutes before the noon deadline.
A Thai Army spokesman, Sansern Kaewkumnerd, denied the Cambodian assertion that Thai troops had withdrawn from the disputed area.
"There has been no troop movement," Sansern said in an interview by telephone. "The army wants the two countries to continue with bilateral talks, but if the situation escalates, we are ready. But we will not attack first."
Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwait of Thailand said about 80 troops went into the disputed territory on a mine-removal mission after two Thai soldiers lost legs earlier this month when they stepped on land mines.
A Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman, Tharit Charungvat, earlier told reporters that Thailand was "surprised" Hun Sen had issued an ultimatum "threatening the use of force."
If Cambodia does resort to the use of force, he cautioned, "Thailand will have to exercise its right to self-defense."
The Thai prime minister, Somchai Wongsawat, also speaking earlier in the day, said he had ordered the army to "take care of the situation so there is no violence."
"We do not object to redeployment, so there is no confrontation," Somchai said Tuesday as he headed into a weekly cabinet meeting.
Both countries have long claimed Preah Vihear, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962. Sovereignty over some of the land around the temple, however, has not been clearly resolved.
Tensions flared July 15 after Unesco, the United Nations cultural agency, approved Cambodia's bid to have the temple named a World Heritage Site. Cambodia deployed about 800 troops to the border; Thailand sent about 400.
Both sides pulled back most of their troops in late August, but it is not clear how many remain in the area and at other spots along the disputed border.
A brief gun battle broke out between the two sides early this month, with one Cambodian and two Thai soldiers wounded.
Each side said the other fired first, and they both blamed each other for being on the wrong side of the border.
The Associated Press
Published: October 14, 2008
PHNOM PENH: Thai troops retreated from a disputed border zone Tuesday, a Cambodian general said, averting a possible military clash after the Cambodian prime minister issued an ultimatum to Thailand to withdraw by midday.
But a Thai Army spokesman denied that any soldiers had been withdrawn and said his country was "ready" to respond militarily if attacked.
The Cambodian Army commander, Brigadier General Yim Pim, said all Thai troops had retreated and were back inside their camp about one kilometer, or half a mile, from the contested territory.
"The tense situation has now eased," Yim Pim said.
Earlier Tuesday, Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia had warned Thailand to pull back 84 troops from the area by noon. He accused the soldiers of having crossed into Cambodian territory in a disputed stretch of jungle near the Preah Vihear temple, an 11th-century site that has been a source of enmity between the two countries for decades.
"They must withdraw," Hun Sen said during a speech at an economic conference in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. "I have set the timeline for them to withdraw by 12 o'clock.
"At any cost, we will not allow Thai troops to invade this area. I would like to be clear about this."
Hun Sen added that he had ordered Cambodian Army chiefs to "take full responsibility over this area," which he called "a life-and-death battle zone."
Yim Pim, the Cambodian general, said the troops had retreated about 90 minutes before the noon deadline.
A Thai Army spokesman, Sansern Kaewkumnerd, denied the Cambodian assertion that Thai troops had withdrawn from the disputed area.
"There has been no troop movement," Sansern said in an interview by telephone. "The army wants the two countries to continue with bilateral talks, but if the situation escalates, we are ready. But we will not attack first."
Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwait of Thailand said about 80 troops went into the disputed territory on a mine-removal mission after two Thai soldiers lost legs earlier this month when they stepped on land mines.
A Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman, Tharit Charungvat, earlier told reporters that Thailand was "surprised" Hun Sen had issued an ultimatum "threatening the use of force."
If Cambodia does resort to the use of force, he cautioned, "Thailand will have to exercise its right to self-defense."
The Thai prime minister, Somchai Wongsawat, also speaking earlier in the day, said he had ordered the army to "take care of the situation so there is no violence."
"We do not object to redeployment, so there is no confrontation," Somchai said Tuesday as he headed into a weekly cabinet meeting.
Both countries have long claimed Preah Vihear, but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962. Sovereignty over some of the land around the temple, however, has not been clearly resolved.
Tensions flared July 15 after Unesco, the United Nations cultural agency, approved Cambodia's bid to have the temple named a World Heritage Site. Cambodia deployed about 800 troops to the border; Thailand sent about 400.
Both sides pulled back most of their troops in late August, but it is not clear how many remain in the area and at other spots along the disputed border.
A brief gun battle broke out between the two sides early this month, with one Cambodian and two Thai soldiers wounded.
Each side said the other fired first, and they both blamed each other for being on the wrong side of the border.
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