Cambodia and Thailand promise to avoid border conflict available (Roundup)

Phnom Penh/Bangkok - Cambodia and Thailand on Friday pledged to avoid further armed conflict at a disputed border region where two fatal skirmishes between the South-East Asian neighbors have erupted in the past year. The agreement came during a meeting between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva in Phnom Penh as part of a one-day visit by the Thai premier to the Cambodian capital. Ieng Sophalleth, a spokesman for Hun Sen, said the two leaders agreed to avert armed clashes in the area surrounding the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple. 'The two prime ministers agreed to set up more negotiations to avoid any more conflict at Preah Vihear,' he said. 'Prime Minister Hun Sen promised there would be no more confrontation.' Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have been strained since an armed clash broke out in July over separate claims to land surrounding the temple, which was granted to Cambodia in a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling. Two Cambodian soldiers were killed and several Thai soldiers injured in those clashes. The temple has been at the centre of disputed claims between Thailand and Cambodia since the 1950s. In July, it was granted World Heritage Site status by UNESCO despite Thai objections. The land adjacent to the temple compound, including its main entrance on the Thai side, has been claimed by both countries. In April, Cambodian and Thai soldiers fought another brief battle in a disputed border area around Preah Vihear, which left two Thai soldiers dead and half a dozen wounded on both sides. Abhisit's visit to Phnom Penh Friday was widely viewed as an attempt to soothe relations and included a ceremony to hand over seven Cambodian artifacts from the 12th and 13th-century Angkorian period that had been smuggled into Thailand. A handful of unions and civil society groups planned to protest what they called 'Thailand's occupation of Cambodian land' during the prime ministers' meeting but their rally was thwarted by municipal authorities. 'Only a few dozen of us came because we knew the police presence would be large and we regret that the government would not let us have our say today,' said Rong Chhun, president of The Cambodian Independent Teachers Association. 'But we demand that Thailand withdraw its troops from Cambodian land and we demand that Thailand pays compensation to people for the damage caused during the fighting.' During his visit, Abhisit also met with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and held talks with Chea Sim, president of the Senate and Heng Samrin, the president of the National Assembly. Ieng Sophalleth said Hun Sen used his meeting with the Abhisit to encourage more Thai investment in Cambodia and a 'more equal' trade relationship. 'The prime minister [Hun Sen] pointed out that many Thai products are imported to Cambodia, but perhaps more Cambodian products could be exported to Thailand,' he said.