Monday, 20 October 2008

Border talks will go ahead despite delay

Bangkok Post
Monday October 20, 2008

Thailand, Cambodia to discuss military issues

WASSANA NANUAM AND PRASIT TANGPRASERT

Truce talks between Thailand and Cambodia will go ahead despite its original schedule being postponed, according to Second Army commander Wibulsak Neepal.

Lt-Gen Wibulsak was supposed to meet his counterpart, Cambodian Fourth Army chief Gen Chea Mon, at a meeting of the Thai-Cambodian Regional Border Committee (RBC) tomorrow, but it has been deferred.

A source at the Foreign Ministry said the ministry was informed by the army that Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tea Banh had asked for a postponement.

It is believed that the deferment arose from concerns that no agreement would be reached on the border dispute if the meeting took place on schedule.

"The meeting will now go ahead in Siem Reap from Oct 23-24," said Lt-Gen Wibulsak.
Deputy Second Army commander Thawatchai Samutsakorn briefed army chief Anupong Paojinda on the latest developments on the border issue in Bangkok yesterday during a rehearsal of the funeral procession for Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana.

The deputy commander denied Cambodia had asked to postpone the RBC meeting.

He insisted no date had been set by either side and the Cambodian government has said it was not ready to come to the talks until there was "clarity" in related policies from both countries.

But Lt-Gen Wibulsak said in Nakhon Ratchasima early yesterday that the meeting would discuss border skirmishes last week and the redeployment of both countries' troops.

The agenda, however, would exclude the demarcation dispute because there is a separate committee to deal with the matter.

Lt-Gen Wibulsak said the situation at the border dispute's hotspot of Preah Vihear temple opposite Si Sa Ket province remained normal.

Thai and Cambodian soldiers had been in close contact and were on friendly terms.

The commander ruled out a withdrawal of the Thai troops from the border and he declined to say where any armoured reinforcements might be sent.

Deploying tanks would boost military readiness in case of a breakdown in negotiations.

Lt-Gen Wibulsak said the best way out of the border problem is through dialogue, and the conflict could easily spin out of control without it.

Maj-Gen Thawatchai has sought Gen Anupong's permission to rotate the soldiers deployed to the disputed border zone after learning the troops were becoming stressed.

Air force chief ACM Itthiporn Supawong said he recently met Gen Anupong to discuss strategies to contain the border tension.

He did not elaborate.

But he said manpower and equipment are on standby around the clock at Wing 1 in Nakhon Ratchasima and Wing 21 in Ubon Ratchathani in case of a military offensive on the border.

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