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Tensions ease as Thailand pulls back troops near temple

Thai troops have pulled back from a hotly disputed border area after an ultimatum from Cambodia, military officials said yesterday, calming fears of armed conflict between the neighbors.

The Cambodian officials said some 80 Thai troops began to withdraw from the area near the ancient Khmer Preah Vihear temple shortly after commanders from both sides held talks during the morning.

It followed an ultimatum from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who warned that the soldiers had to pull back by midday or it could become a battle zone.

“They withdrew from the area around 10:20am and went back to their headquarters, which is around 1km away,” Cambodian Brigadier General Yim Pim said.

“There is no more confrontation now. The situation is eased now, but we [are] still on high alert,” he said.

Thai officials at the disputed border refused to confirm whether they had withdrawn.

However, its foreign ministry issued a statement saying Hun Sen’s ultimatum ran “counter to the spirit of neighborliness” and flouted a regional treaty on cooperation.

If Cambodia resorted to force, “Thailand will have to exercise its right of self-defense,” the foreign ministry said, adding it was investigating whether Phnom Penh had violated an international treaty by laying new landmines during the spat.

Speaking at an economic forum in Phnom Penh before the reported withdrawal, Hun Sen maintained his tough rhetoric.

“I have ordered all military commanders to take responsibility for the area. The area is a life and death battle zone,” he said. “Ants can hurt elephants. They [Thais] should not have done this.”

The International Court of Justice ruled back in 1962 that the Preah Vihear Temple belongs to Cambodia, but surrounding land remains in dispute.

Tensions between the neighbors first flared in July after the temple was awarded world heritage status by the UN cultural body UNESCO.

They escalated into a military confrontation, with up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops facing off for six weeks, although both sides in August agreed to reduce troop numbers.

Each country accuses the other of violating its territory.
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