Thailand and Cambodia begin border talks

HUA HIN, Thailand — Thailand expressed hope its dispute with Cambodia over border territory near an ancient temple would end with a peaceful resolution as formal talks began Tuesday.

The two neighbors came close to an armed clash last month over competing claims to land surrounding the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple on on Thailand's northeastern border with Cambodia.

Hundreds of troops from both sides massed on the frontier. The standoff saw weapons drawn once but no shots were fired.

Both sides pulled out most of their soldiers Saturday, leaving only 10 troops from each country at the compound of a pagoda near the temple, according to Hang Soth, director-general of the Preah Vihear National Authority, a Cambodian government agency managing the historic site.

Foreign ministers of the two countries began formal talks on the issue in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin on Tuesday after two earlier rounds proved inconclusive.

"The situation has been improving quite a lot. Tension in the area has ceased and we hope that the situation will go back to normal as soon as possible," Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tarit Charungvut said Tuesday as the meeting began.

Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Monday he was "optimistic the meeting will achieve a good success," and lead to "a lasting solution to border problems between Cambodia and Thailand."

Speaking before he left Cambodia, he reiterated his government's desire to solve the problems with Thailand peacefully and amicably, because "our two countries share a lot of economic and trade interests."

Hor Namhong said the two countries will work toward withdrawing all the remaining troops from the area to allow for mine clearance operations and border demarcation.

The armed standoff began on July 15 after UNESCO, the U.N.'s cultural agency, approved Cambodia's application to have the Preah Vihear temple named a World Heritage Site. Some Thais feared the temple's new status would jeopardize their claims to surrounding land.

Thailand and Cambodia have both long claimed land around the temple, which the World Court awarded to Cambodia in 1962.

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