Thai defense minister starts 2-day visit in Cambodia

Thai defense minister starts 2-day visit in Cambodia

The newly appointed Thai Defense Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha arrived in Cambodia on Friday morning for a two-day official visit, the first time since he took office early last month.

The visit was made just more than a week after the visits of Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Thailand's ex- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the country on Sept. 15 and Sept. 16-20 respectively.

At the Phnom Penh International Airport, the minister was welcomed by Neang Phat, secretary of state for Cambodia's defense ministry, and other high-ranking military officials.

During the visit, Yuthasak will hold talks with his Cambodian counterpart Gen. Tea Banh and will also pay a courtesy call on the Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Lt. Gen. Chhum Sucheat, spokesman for the defense ministry, said the visit would build better bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

He added that it would also make the way for the meeting of Cambodia-Thailand General Border Commission and the troop redeployment along the border.

Cambodia and Thailand have had sporadic border conflict over territorial dispute near Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple since the UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008 and witnessed fierce border fighting in February and April during the Thai's Democrat-led administration.

However, the military tension has eased since the former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Pheu Thai Party won a landslide victory in the general elections on July 3.

On July 18, the International Court of Justice ordered Cambodia and Thailand to immediately withdraw their military personnel from the provisional demilitarized zone of about 17 kilometers on the disputed border near Preah Vihear temple and allow ASEAN observers access to the provisional demilitarized zone to monitor ceasefire.

So far, the troop pullout has not been made yet.

Editor: Chen Zhi

English.news.cn   2011-09-23 11:06:57 FeedbackPrintRSS
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 23 (Xinhua)