Cambodia, Thailand accuse each other of invading territories

via CAAI

English.news.cn

2011-02-16

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Wednesday accused Thai troops of violating the recommendation of the United Nations Security Council to continue attack on Cambodia.

In its statement released on Wednesday afternoon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that Thai troops opened a provocative fire into Cambodian territory from Tuesday night to early Wednesday morning at the border disputed area near.

"From 21:00 on Feb. 15 to 05:00 on Feb. 16 (local time), Thai armed forces, in flagrant violation of the recommendation of the United Nations Security Council on Feb. 14, fired many grenades and numerous rounds of 81 mm mortars and machine guns into Phnom Trap area located approximately 1,600 meters from the border, in the vicinity of the temple of Preah Vihear," the statement said.

"In respect of the recommendation of the UNSC on Feb. 14, Cambodian troops exercise utmost restraint and did not respond to this renewed provocation from the Thai armed forces, so as to maintain an environment conducive to the success of the meeting of the ASEAN foreign ministers on Feb. 22, in Jakarta, Indonesia,"it added.

However, the statement pointed out, "this violation of the ceasefire by the Thai armed forces clearly shows that the real intention behind Thailand's insistence on resolving the matter bilaterally is to use its overwhelmingly superior military forces to take over Cambodian territory in the vicinity of the temple of Preah Vihear."

However, a Thai army spokesman said on Wednesday that several small rounds of skirmishes at the Thai-Cambodian border erupted again from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning after the Cambodian troops tried to move closer to the Thai border.

Spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that from 09:00 p.m. of Tuesday to 05:00 a.m. of Wednesday (local time), the Cambodian army tried to move closer to the Thai border and cut the barbed wire set by Thai troops at the military zone in Phoo Makuae of Si Saket's Kanthalarak district.

The barbed wire was set to surround the Thai military post at the border on the Phoo Makuae mountain.

The Cambodian army also shot several small arms and threw grenades to the Thai side. The Thai army then returned fire, resulting in several rounds of skirmishes that lasted about 15-30 minutes, the spokesman said.

Cambodia and Thailand have had a border conflict after Cambodia 's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as the World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

The conflict is due to Thai claim of the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the temple, triggering a military build-up along the border, and periodic clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers have resulted in the deaths of troops on both sides.

The latest clashes on Feb. 4-7, unleashed a barrage of artillery shells on both sides of the border, killed at least 10 people and injured many others of both sides, and caused tens of thousands of the two countries' villagers near the disputed areas fleeing for safe shelters.

Editor: Bi Mingxin