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.
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