Wednesday, 23 July 2008

Cambodia warns Thai 'aggression' threatening region

Radio Australia

Cambodia's prime minister has accused Thailand of unwarranted aggression by moving troops into disputed border territory, warning the action threatens peace in the region.

Hun Sen made the statement in a letter to the United Nations cultural agency, UNESCO, after two days of diplomacy failed to resolve the week-long military stand-off centred on the ruins of the Preah Vihear temple.

The tensions began after UNESCO early this month awarded World Heritage status to the temple, considered the finest example of ancient Khmer architecture after the famous Angkor Wat complex.

The UN recognition infuriated Thai nationalists, and now more than 500 Thai troops are facing at least 1,000 Cambodian soldiers over a tiny area of land near the temple.Recent crisis talks among Southeast Asian foreign ministers in Singapore failed to make any headway.

Senior Cambodian and Thai defence officials have also ended eight hours of negotiations with no resolution.

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