Border temple talks start today

No conclusion expected at Siem Reap meeting

SARITDET MARUKATAT THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL and AP

Two days of talks aimed at ending the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over the disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple begin today, but an early agreement is unlikely, according to Foreign Ministry officials.

After the recent violence on the border and an ongoing diplomatic spat, Thailand and Cambodia have moved their problems to the negotiating table - a meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) in Siem Reap.

At the centre of the dispute is sovereignty over a 4.6-square-kilometre area between Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket province and Preah Vihear province in Cambodia, adjacent to the ancient Khmer temple.

Foreign Ministry officials agree the issue will not be settled at a single round of talks because the two sides cannot even agree on which map to use. They both use different maps as the basis for their negotiations.

Thailand's position is that the watershed should define the border in the area near the temple, but Cambodia rejects this.

"I have lots of documents ready to counter Cambodia's point of view," Treaties and Legal Affairs Department director-general Virachai Plasai told a public forum organised by Chulalongkorn University's Institute of Asian Studies on Thursday.

He is one of the Thai negotiators led by retired career diplomat Vasin Teeravechyan. The Cambodian delegation is led by Senior Minister Var Kim Hong, an adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The two countries gave priority to the JBC talks after the Preah Vihear temple received World Heritage listing in July. Thailand lost a World Court battle for ownership of the temple in 1962.

Thai officials are prepared for heated negotiations today and tomorrow, but say at least they are at the same table, and that should ease tensions at the border and in the two capitals.

"The aim of the meeting is to bring the conflict to the negotiating table," said a ministry official.

Hard-fought negotiations were better than fighting, another official added.

The crucial talks will be followed by a meeting between the two foreign ministers, Sompong Amornvivat and Hor Namhong, on Wednesday.

The row over Preah Vihear has spilled over into other spots along the 798-kilometre-long land border, including the Ta Muen and Ta Kwai temples. Thailand insists the temples are in Surin province's Phanom Dong Rak district.

The tension heightened after fighting between Thai and Cambodia soldiers on Oct 15 in the overlapping area as well as in Pha Mor E Daeng in Si Sa Ket.

Cambodia has complained to other countries that Thailand invaded its territory.

Bangkok's counter-moves include calling international attention to new landmines allegedly planted near Preah Vihear by Cambodia.

Hun Sen vowed to strengthen Cambodia's armed forces yesterday as he joined the country's king in celebrating the 55th anniversary of independence from France.

Speaking at an Independence Day parade, he made no mention of the border conflict but vowed to "push ahead with reform of the armed forces to ensure highly effective defence" of Cambodian territory.