Cambodian PM denies he agrees with ex-Thai deputy army chief on troop withdrawal, joint management plan

 PHNOM PENH, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday he has never agreed with Gen. Wichit Yathip, the former Thai deputy army chief, on troop withdrawal, joint management plan, and joint-living of Cambodian and Thai monks at a pagoda next to the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.
   His denial was made after Thai print media and TVs reported that Gen. Wichit Yathip said that before the armed clashes between the two countries’ troops broke out in February, he had talked with Prime Minister Hun Sen and the premier suggested a three-point solution.
   They were that both countries should withdraw troops from the (disputed) area, jointly manage the 4.6 square kilometer overlapping border area, and have Thai and Cambodian monks live together at the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda, which is in the disputed area.
   Hun Sen acknowledged that he met with Wichit during a wedding ceremony of the son of Cambodian deputy prime minister, minister of defense Tea Banh in Phnom Penh.
   “Wichit Yathip just paid a short courtesy call on me and we had not discussed anything concerning to the Thai-claimed overlapping area near the temple because Cambodia has never known where the 4.6 square kilometer area is,” he said at the graduation ceremony at the Royal School of Administration. “I don’t know where he has these remarks from.”
   “Wichit should clarify on his remarks, or he would lose his value,” said the premier.
   The premier said that if Cambodia agreed to these points, there would be no Cambodia’s complaints to international bodies.
   Wichit, is a close aide of former Thai premier Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, who has close ties with Cambodia.
   Cambodian and Thai border has never been fully completed. The conflict occurred just a week after Cambodia’s Preah Vihear temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.
   Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) 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. (Nguon Sovan)