Monks walk past a soldier to attend a Buddhism ceremony praying for peace called Krong Pealy at Preah Vihear temple compound atop Dang Reak mountain, about 245km (152 miles) north of Phnom Penh, August 1, 2008. (REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea) August 16, 2008
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian and Thai troops started to pull their troops back from a disputed border area on Saturday, Cambodian army officers said, after a month-long stand-off centering on a 900-year-old temple.
"Both sides are pulling out their troops and we expect this to be done before sunset today," Cambodian Lieutenant-Colonel Sar Thavy told Reuters by phone from Preah Vihear temple.
"Everyone looks happy to see the Thai troops leaving the area. Villagers are going back to run their businesses near Preah Vihear temple," he added.
About 1,000 troops from the two countries were sent to the border area after a long-simmering row over ownership of the temple was fuelled by domestic politics.
Under the terms of an agreement reached between army officers on Wednesday, each side will leave just 10 soldiers at a Buddhist pagoda on the disputed territory, 1.8 square miles
of scrub that sits on a jungle-clad escarpment dividing the two countries.
The rest will move to border areas in their own country that are not in dispute, officials said.
The foreign ministers of both countries are expected to meet in Thailand in the coming week to discuss the dispute.
Preah Vihear has been claimed by both countries for decades but was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962. The latest row erupted in mid-July when protest groups trying to overthrow the Thai government attacked Bangkok's backing of Cambodia's bid to list Preah Vihear as a United Nations World Heritage site.
The dispute was fuelled by nationalist sentiment during an election campaign in Cambodia, but tensions have eased since Prime Minister Hun Sen's re-election at the end of July.
In a marked toning-down of his campaign rhetoric, Hun Sen said a week ago the two sides must resolve the dispute and "maximize bilateral cooperation, including trade."
(Reporting by Ek Madra; Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by David Fogarty)
PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian and Thai troops started to pull their troops back from a disputed border area on Saturday, Cambodian army officers said, after a month-long stand-off centering on a 900-year-old temple.
"Both sides are pulling out their troops and we expect this to be done before sunset today," Cambodian Lieutenant-Colonel Sar Thavy told Reuters by phone from Preah Vihear temple.
"Everyone looks happy to see the Thai troops leaving the area. Villagers are going back to run their businesses near Preah Vihear temple," he added.
About 1,000 troops from the two countries were sent to the border area after a long-simmering row over ownership of the temple was fuelled by domestic politics.
Under the terms of an agreement reached between army officers on Wednesday, each side will leave just 10 soldiers at a Buddhist pagoda on the disputed territory, 1.8 square miles
of scrub that sits on a jungle-clad escarpment dividing the two countries.
The rest will move to border areas in their own country that are not in dispute, officials said.
The foreign ministers of both countries are expected to meet in Thailand in the coming week to discuss the dispute.
Preah Vihear has been claimed by both countries for decades but was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962. The latest row erupted in mid-July when protest groups trying to overthrow the Thai government attacked Bangkok's backing of Cambodia's bid to list Preah Vihear as a United Nations World Heritage site.
The dispute was fuelled by nationalist sentiment during an election campaign in Cambodia, but tensions have eased since Prime Minister Hun Sen's re-election at the end of July.
In a marked toning-down of his campaign rhetoric, Hun Sen said a week ago the two sides must resolve the dispute and "maximize bilateral cooperation, including trade."
(Reporting by Ek Madra; Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by David Fogarty)
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