Cambodian PM agrees to ease border tension, promote economic cooperation

BANGKOK, July 27 (TNA) - Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban (pictured) ended his one-day visit to Cambodia on a mission to clarify Thailand's objection to the listing of the Preah Vihear temple ruins as a World Heritage Site to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Mr. Suthep told reporters on his arrival in Bangkok that he had met with the Cambodian prime minister and Mr. Hun Sen asked him to convey the message to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Thai people that Cambodia will try to ease tensions along the border to create the good atmosphere to foster the bilateral economic cooperation and good relations. The deputy prime minister said both sides agreed that the previous incidents at the border, particularly near Preah Vihear temple, would be considered the past and like a nightmare ,and now the two nations should look ahead without looking back. "I do not want to go in to the details but both sides affirm to jointly ease the border tension," the deputy prime minister said. In 1962 the International Court of Justice ruled that Preah Vihear belongs to Cambodia, but the most accessible entrance begins at the foot of a mountain in Thailand, and both sides claim overlapping portions of the surrounding territory. Armed clashes between the two countries’ military forces have occurred periodically since then, near the temple, especially in a 4.6-square-kilometre disputed area. Thai prime minister Abhisit said earlier that the government would ask UNESCO's World Heritage Committee to review their last year's decision to register Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site when the meet in Spain, during the week just ended. During the one day visit, Mr. Hun Sen welcomed Mr. Suthep and Thai Defence Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan at his home and the prime minister’s wife cooked lunch for the Thai guests. Mr. Suthep said the talks were conducted in a friendly atmosphere as the two nations shared the same target -- to build a constructive bilateral relationship and strengthen economic cooperation. Thailand and Cambodia agreed to move ahead with plans to build Stung Nam dam in Cambodia's Koh Kong province to supply electricity to Thailand's Trat and Chantaburi provinces, particularly to the Map Ta Put Industrial Estate, he said, adding that the project had been discussed by many governments but had not materialised. The government, therefore, will re-launch the project, Mr. Suthep said. Both sides will jointly develop the overlapping area in the Gulf of Thailand in order to share benefits from the undersea natural gas field, he said. (TNA)