Officials meet in Siem Reap for golf and informal talks

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009071327085/National-news/officials-meet-in-siem-reap-for-golf-and-informal-talks.html

Officials meet in Siem Reap for golf and informal talks
Monday, 13 July 2009 14:04 vong sokheng

Meeting between Thai, Cambodian military brass seeks to further
dialogue between front-line commanders, defence official says.

HIGH-ranking Cambodian and Thai authorities held an informal meeting
Thursday in Siem Reap to encourage their regional commanders to set up
additional meetings in an effort to reduce tension along the border
near Preah Vihear temple, a defence official said.

Chhum Sucheat, the spokesman and undersecretary of state at the
Ministry of Defence, told the Post Sunday that ministry officials
hoped the meeting would push the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF)
commander of region 4 and the Thai commander of region 2 to meet more
regularly.

"We are optimistic from the meeting that the result will be more
dialogue between Cambodian and Thai commanders, which will help reduce
tensions in order to avoid armed confrontation," he said.

Neang Phat, a secretary of state at the Defence Ministry, and advisers
to General Anupong Paochinda, commander-in-chief of the Thai army,
participated in the meeting, said Chhum Sucheat, who added that after
the meeting the Cambodian and Thai delegation played golf together.


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It is normal for both Cambodia and Thailand to reinforce troops at the
border.

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Chhum Sucheat said the next meeting between the Thai and Cambodian
defence ministries would be an annual meeting to discuss border
issues, which will be held in Bangkok between July 21 and July 23.

Along the border, Cambodian military officers said Sunday that the
Thai army had brought in reinforcements to the border area.

Yim Phim, commander of Brigade 8, said Sunday that Thailand brought
tanks, artillery and infantry to the border.

"So far, nothing has occurred, and the armies at the front lines
remain on alert," Yim Phim said.

Chhum Socheat would neither confirm nor deny reports of troop
reinforcements but downplayed their significance.

"It is normal for both Cambodia and Thailand to reinforce troops at
the border ... therefore both sides now want to try to hold more
meetings between regional commanders," Sucheat said. "We will try to
set up more meetings in line with the recommendation of Prime Minister
Hun Sen."

Cambodia and Thailand have long disagreed about the ownership of the
area near Preah Vihear temple, and the dispute turned violent after
UNESCO granted the 11th-century temple World Heritage site status last
July.

Periodic gunbattles, the last one in April, have killed seven soldiers
since then.

Although in 1962 the World Court ruled that the temple was in
Cambodian territory, recently Thailand said it would seek joint
listing of the temple, further raising tensions on the border.

The area near the temple has never been officially demarcated, in part
because the border is still littered with land mines.
.

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