PHNOM PENH, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The negotiations on the border row between Cambodia and Thailand have made headway as Thai defense minister Prawit Wongsuwon promised to receive a joint Indonesian survey team to evaluate the situation at the conflict area near Preah Vihear temple, said Cambodian defense minister Tea Banh on Saturday.
“Mr. Prawit Wongsuwon has verbally promised to accept an Indonesian survey team into at the disputed border as a prerequisite to holding a General Border Committee meeting,” Tea Banh said at Phnom Penh International Airport when arriving from attending the 5th ASEAN defense ministers meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia.
During the meeting, Tea Banh and Prawit Wongsuwon met each other on May 18 to talk on border conflict under the preparation from Indonesian defense minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro.
“Mr. Prawit demanded Indonesia to issue an announcement about the dispatch of the survey team to the conflict border in a proper time and suggested them to dress as civilian,” said Tea Banh.
“Prawit is likely to have willing to solve the border issue with Cambodia.” he said. “This can be considered as a progressive step in the border talks between Cambodia and Thailand.”
“As soon as the Indonesian survey team arrives at the border near Preah Vihear temple, Cambodia will hold the GBC meeting with Thailand bilaterally without Indonesian presence,” stressed Tea Banh.
Meanwhile, he said that on May 20, there was also a meeting between ASEAN defense minister and Chinese defense minister in Indonesia.
“At that time, Chinese defense minister Liang Guanglie has encouraged Cambodia and Thailand to accelerate the negotiations in order to end the conflict soon,” he said.
Cambodian and Thai border has never been completely demarcated. The conflict has occurred just a week after Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.
The row is due to Thai claim of the ownership of 1.8 square miles (4.6 sq km) of scrub next to the temple.
Since then, both sides have built up military forces along the border and periodic clashes have happened, resulted in the deaths of troops and civilians on both sides.
The two sides agreed to accept Indonesian observers to monitor a ceasefire on their respective border side on Feb 22 at the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Jakarta, but the deployment was always delayed because Thailand demanded that Cambodian soldiers and locals be withdrawn from the disputed area of 4.6 sq km near the temple first.
The latest flare-up between Cambodia and Thai troops over the disputed border had occurred from April 22 until May 3 at the 13th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province, leaving 19 people on both sides killed and nearly 100,000 civilians fled homes for safe shelters. (Nguon Sovan)
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