Officials for Thai and Cambodian border committees opened a two-day meeting in Phnom Penh to organize an agenda for dialogue

Preparations Begin for April Border Meeting
By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
02 March 2009


Officials for Thai and Cambodian border committees opened a two-day
meeting in Phnom Penh Monday to organize an agenda for dialogue
between the two countries in April.

“We only prepared some documents for the border secretariat committee…
meeting which will take place next month,” Neang Phat, secretary of
state for the Ministry of Defense, told reporters after the meeting.

The meeting was closed to the press following brief opening remarks by
officials early Monday.

The April meeting will include finding a joint compromise for the
Preah Vihear standoff, following the meeting between both prime
ministers last month, Neang Phat said. “We want to avoid clashes
between the two militaries.”

Cambodian and Thailand each have soldiers deployed along the border
near Preah Vihear temple, in a standoff that has led to several
skirmishes and the deaths of at least four soldiers.

Last month, Cambodia lambasted Thailand for firing rockets over the
border, in what Thai military officials said was an accident.
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