Hun Manet (3rd from left) with top Cambodian frontline commanders during his visit on 10th February to Phnom Trop, 5km east of Preah Vihear temple.February 20, 2011
By Panya Thiewsangwan, Jeerapong Prasertpolkrang
The Nation on Sunday
Hun Manet, eldest son of Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen, and Thai Army Chief of Staff General Dapong Rattanasuwan yesterday signed in a temporary cease-fire agreement.
Second Army Area commander Lt-General Thawatchai Samutsakorn and 10 other Thai officers crossed Chong Sa-ngam, Si Sa Ket border to meet with Hun Manet, a lieutenant general in the Cambodian army, in a restaurant in Allongweng, a source, who joined the trip but asked not to be named, said.
He said both sides agreed to follow the previous agreement and signed an eight-point agreement which includes no mobilisation of troops, no increase in troops or heavy weapons, no confrontation and no construction in disputed areas.
The source said the two-hour talk was part of regular meetings.
However, the temporary deal is not binding as far as the upcoming Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) ministerial meeting on Tuesday is concerned.
"In case of conflicts, both countries' military would first communicate through radio. However, they must talk only about how to fix the problems," the source said.
Meanwhile, a representative of the United Nation's cultural body will come to Thailand and Cambodia next week to get details about Preah Vihear Temple and the recent border dispute.
UNESCO official coming
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday he got a phone call from Irina Bokova, director-general of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, who said the agency would send an official to Bangkok and Phnom Penh to hear information, without getting involved in sensitive issues.
The Unesco chief said she would send a cover letter on the scope of the representative's mission. After it receives Thai confirmation, the representative, former Unesco director Koichiro Matsuura, planned to visit next week.
"I talked to the (Unesco) director-general and found that she agrees with Thailand's proposal that the management plan for the areas surrounding Preah Vihear Temple should not to be touched on unless the land disputes have been settled," Abhisit said.
"The process must be according to the Memorandum of Understanding and the agreement of the Joint-Border Committee.
"She was also concerned when she saw that [Cambodian] soldiers stayed in the temple, which is against the agreement."
The PM said Thailand should give information to Unesco and should not quit the World Heritage Committee. If it did, the agency would be able to only hear information from Cambodia.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and National Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti had done a good job so far clarifying the Kingdom's position to the UN agency, Abhisit said.
He emphasised that no trips to the disputed area would be made so long as the issue was still sensitive.
Abhisit dismissed reports that China and Vietnam supported Cambodia in the dispute. He said no country would want more tension.
1 comment:
Why do Kos Trol, sea and lands proximately over 10 000 km2 have been lost to Vietnam by who treaty? Why don’t Cambodia goverment transparencies explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 and what's about over 10 000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Kos Trol, Sea and lands over 10 000km2 have been lost to Vietnam by who treaty at 1979 to 1985 treaty! Treaty! Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protect a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group rather in the real name of protecting Khmer nation?
Cambodian army at front line suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition, their families have no health care help, no securities after they die but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning with young girls message, have super health care from oversea medical treatment, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make Cambodian people suffer everyday as Cambodian people know already.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that result lost over 10 000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why don't they transparency inform all Cambodian and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't include Kos Trol (Kos Trol size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapoor with heap of great natural resources) in education system in Cambodia.
Look at Hun Sen families, relatives; friends are billionaires, millionaires where do they get the money from if we all just get out of war with empty hands? Hun Sen always say in his speech Cambodia just get up from war, just get up from Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% innocent Cambodian people are so poor struggling with living every day.
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
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