A Change of Guard

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Thursday 22 December 2011

Cambodia, Thailand agree to withdraw troops from disputed land around temple


Cambodian soldiers are pictured in February at a military base near the Preah Vhear temple in Preah Vihear province, northwest of Phnom Penh. Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to redeploy troops "completely and simultaneously" from a shared border area that has been the scene of deadly clashes

By Associated Press,
The Washington Post

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodia and Thailand have agreed in principle to withdraw troops from a border area where a territorial dispute triggered deadly clashes.

The agreement was announced Wednesday after Thai Defense Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha met with his Cambodian counterpart, Tea Banh. It is meant to end combat over a small patch of land both countries claim around the ancient temple of Preah Vihear. Eighteen people were killed in the last round of fighting in April.

The new agreement calls for both sides to withdraw troops completely and simultaneously from a demilitarized zone demarcated by the Netherlands-based International Court of Justice, but sets no date. The court in July ordered troops from both countries to withdraw after Cambodia sought its help.
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21 December 2011

Thailand and Cambodia reach deal on temple border

A Cambodian soldier stands near Cambodia's famed Preah Vihear temple. The International Court of Justice has ordered troops from both sides to leave the area

Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to withdraw their troops from a disputed border area near the ancient temple of Preah Vihear.

The deal was reached after Thai Defence Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha met his Cambodian counterpart, Tea Banh, in Phnom Penh.

A territorial dispute over a patch of land around the temple has sparked deadly clashes between the two nations.

In April, fighting left 18 people dead and tens of thousands displaced.

The International Court of Justice ordered both sides to remove troops from the disputed area in July - but neither has complied.
Indonesian observers

According to a joint statement, both countries agreed to set up a working group on "redeployment of their military personnel completely and simultaneously from their current positions in the provisional demilitarised zone at the earliest".

Temple troubles

1962: UN court awards temple to Cambodia; surrounding land remains undesignated
2001-2002: Thai troops block access over water row
Jul 2008: Unesco lists temple World Heritage site; Thai foreign minister quits; both sides move in troops
Feb 2009: Clashes leave at least eight dead
Feb-Apr 2011: Skirmishes at Preah Vihear and elsewhere along border force tens of thousands to flee
July 2011: The International Court of Justice orders troops from both sides to leave

Q&A: Temple dispute

The withdrawal will take place in the presence of Indonesian observers, the statement added, according to AFP news agency.

Thailand does not dispute Cambodia's ownership of the World Heritage-listed temple, but both sides claim some of the surrounding area.

Tension had been increasing between Cambodia and Thailand since Unesco awarded Preah Vihear World Heritage status in 2008.

In April 2009, soldiers exchanged fire across the disputed border.

More serious trouble flared in February 2011, when at least eight people were killed in several days of fighting.

The violence moved westwards to another set of temples in April, before shifting back to Preah Vihear, as widespread clashes forced tens of thousands to flee.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Don't trust these guys. Remember ah thai side has to get approve from their government. So, it may be not a deal after all. Watch out hun xen/duck shoot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!