Cambodia is committed to turning borderlines shared with its neighbouring countries, including Thailand, into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, said Prime Minister Hun Sen.
PM Hun Sen made the statement at the opening ceremony of national road No. 67 linking Cambodia’s northern province of Siem Reap to Anlong Veng near the Thai border. Thai Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban attended the event.
The Rasmei Kampuchea (Light of Cambodia) daily newspaper quoted PM Hun Sen on July 5 as saying that Cambodia wishes to build its common borderlines not only with Thailand, but also with Vietnam and Laos, into an area of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.
PM Hun Sen said he hoped that local residents living along the common borderlines between Cambodia and the neighbouring nations would lead a peaceful life, and that Cambodia and Thailand will open an international border gate at Cham Sro to foster the area’s development.
At the ceremony, Thai Deputy PM Suthep affirmed Thailand’s desire to promote friendly and cooperative relations with Cambodia, saying that Thailand will build roads to link its northeastern provinces with northern provinces of Cambodia.
He stressed that nothing could hinder the friendship between the Thai and Cambodian people, expecting the tension at the common border to ease for the time being.
Also on July 5, Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan rejected a possible border war with Cambodia.
“I was confident that the border dispute with Cambodia will not lead to war between the two countries as some fear,” the minister was quoted by the Bangkok Post as saying.
Thailand's Army Region 2 commander will hold talks with Cambodia's Army Region 4 Commander to ease tension along the border and to reduce military forces of the two countries deployed near Preah Vihear temple, said Prawit.
The area around Preah Vihear Temple has been the scene of a tense standoff between the Cambodian and Thai armed forces since the temple was recognised as a world heritage site of Cambodia by UNESCO in July 2008.
During the past two weeks, the Thai and Cambodian armies have deployed more troops and heavy weapons to the disputed area, and put their forces there at the highest alert level.
The “Nation” of Thailand reported on July 4 that the country’s government remained undecided on the Preah Vihear Temple issue, but it will not use military forces to deal with the dispute with Cambodia under any circumstances.
The government has yet to discuss whether Thailand should ask Cambodia to jointly register the ancient Preah Vihear Temple on the Thai-Cambodia border as a world heritage site, the newspaper quoted PM Abhisit Vejjajiva as saying.
So far the Cambodian government has not considered applying for jointly registering the site with Thailand, he said.
A joint submission would only create more confusion because border demarcation in the area is still unclear, the Thai leader said.
However, he suggested, a settlement could be made on condition that neither Thailand nor Cambodia claims ownership of the disputed area./.
PM Hun Sen made the statement at the opening ceremony of national road No. 67 linking Cambodia’s northern province of Siem Reap to Anlong Veng near the Thai border. Thai Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban attended the event.
The Rasmei Kampuchea (Light of Cambodia) daily newspaper quoted PM Hun Sen on July 5 as saying that Cambodia wishes to build its common borderlines not only with Thailand, but also with Vietnam and Laos, into an area of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.
PM Hun Sen said he hoped that local residents living along the common borderlines between Cambodia and the neighbouring nations would lead a peaceful life, and that Cambodia and Thailand will open an international border gate at Cham Sro to foster the area’s development.
At the ceremony, Thai Deputy PM Suthep affirmed Thailand’s desire to promote friendly and cooperative relations with Cambodia, saying that Thailand will build roads to link its northeastern provinces with northern provinces of Cambodia.
He stressed that nothing could hinder the friendship between the Thai and Cambodian people, expecting the tension at the common border to ease for the time being.
Also on July 5, Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan rejected a possible border war with Cambodia.
“I was confident that the border dispute with Cambodia will not lead to war between the two countries as some fear,” the minister was quoted by the Bangkok Post as saying.
Thailand's Army Region 2 commander will hold talks with Cambodia's Army Region 4 Commander to ease tension along the border and to reduce military forces of the two countries deployed near Preah Vihear temple, said Prawit.
The area around Preah Vihear Temple has been the scene of a tense standoff between the Cambodian and Thai armed forces since the temple was recognised as a world heritage site of Cambodia by UNESCO in July 2008.
During the past two weeks, the Thai and Cambodian armies have deployed more troops and heavy weapons to the disputed area, and put their forces there at the highest alert level.
The “Nation” of Thailand reported on July 4 that the country’s government remained undecided on the Preah Vihear Temple issue, but it will not use military forces to deal with the dispute with Cambodia under any circumstances.
The government has yet to discuss whether Thailand should ask Cambodia to jointly register the ancient Preah Vihear Temple on the Thai-Cambodia border as a world heritage site, the newspaper quoted PM Abhisit Vejjajiva as saying.
So far the Cambodian government has not considered applying for jointly registering the site with Thailand, he said.
A joint submission would only create more confusion because border demarcation in the area is still unclear, the Thai leader said.
However, he suggested, a settlement could be made on condition that neither Thailand nor Cambodia claims ownership of the disputed area./.
