Kasit in Cambodia for temple talks

By: BangkokPost.com and AFP

Published: 25th January, 2009

New Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya travelled to Cambodia on Sunday for his first official visit, with both neighbours hoping to make progress on resolving a sporadically violent territorial dispute.

A foreign ministry official said that Mr Kasit left for Phnom Penh at 6:55pm Sunday evening for a visit of about 24 hours. The agenda would include the disputed land around Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple.

"The foreign minister will make his first official visit to Cambodia mainly to introduce himself to Cambodia and strengthen relationships between the two countries," a press officer at the ministry said.

Below map: The grey area above the line was claimed by Thailand but according to 1904-107 Franco-Siam Treaty, the area is located inside Cambodia.

"He may ask about or mention some issues such as Preah Vihear... to update information and see the progress of those issues."

Troops from both sides have been stationed around the area for years, and recently had a deadly clash.

Negotiations aimed at reaching a solution stalled last year in the turmoil caused by daily demonstrations of the People's Alliance for Democracy, backed by Mr Kasit.

Mr Kasit was not only a vocal supporter of protests which shuttered Bangkok's airports for a week in November and December, but also criticised the previous government's handling of the crisis with Cambodia.

When he was opposition leader, Mr Abhisit strongly criticised the former government for helping Cambodia win Unesco recognition, and some members of his Democrat party have promised to return the temple to Thai sovereignty, rhetoric that infuriated Cambodia and threatened to cause new anti-Thai violence.

Mr Kasit is due to meet Cambodian premier Hun Sen, King Norodom Sihamoni and other high-ranking officials.

A spokesman from Cambodia's foreign ministry said last week that officials including Mr Kasit's counterpart Hor Namhong will urge the visiting minister to help broker a peaceful solution as soon as possible.

Troops from Cambodia and Thailand clashed on Oct 15 on disputed land near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, leaving four soldiers dead.

The border has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

Tensions flared in July when the cliff-top Khmer temple was awarded United Nations World Heritage status, rekindling the long-running disagreement. The temple is in Cambodia but is easily accessible only through Thailand.