Cambodia, Thailand agree on provisional arrangements for border issue

People's Daily Online
November 13, 2008

Cambodia and Thailand on Wednesday moved a step forward to resolve the long-running and deadly border dispute.

Both sides agreed on some provisional arrangements, including joint mine clearance at the Preah Vihear temple area and starting border demarcation from areas near the Preah Vihear temple first, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong said at a press conference after a meeting with his Thai counterpart in Siem Reap.

Both sides also agreed to withdraw troops from the Keo Sihka Kiri Svara pagoda and its surrounding areas and the areas near the Preah Vihear temple, he was quoted as saying by CTN Television.

He added that legal experts from both sides will meet in January 2009 to measure the border for planting border posts.

"We need more time to resolve the border issue," he said, adding that they will sign agreement minutes in next meeting.

Meanwhile, Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornvivat told reporters that he needs approval from Thai National Assembly before signing any agreements.

This meeting proceeded smoothly and it succeeded 99 percent of all issues, he said.

In October, Cambodian and Thai troops exchanged fire on their disputed border area, killing at least two and wounding a dozen.

Prior to the clash, the ownership of the Preah Vihear Temple caused both sides to maintain military stalemate near the border for weeks.

During this period, rounds of meetings were held, but all failed to find common ground on the border issue to break the stand off.

The two countries have 790-km-long border line, with only 73 border posts which were planted in 1907.

In 1962, the International Court of Justice decided that the Preah Vihear Temple and its surrounding area belong to Cambodia.

Source:Xinhua