Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BANGKOK2428
2008-08-13 10:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:
THAI-CAMBODIAN DISPUTE OVER PREAH VIHEAR:
how-toVZCZCXRO9414 OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHBK #2428 2261030 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 131030Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3985 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0919 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 002428
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PARIS PASS USMISSION UNESCO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018
TAGS: PREL MOPS TH CB
SUBJECT: THAI-CAMBODIAN DISPUTE OVER PREAH VIHEAR:
BILATERAL MEETINGS AIM TO DEFUSE TENSIONS
REF: STATE 78884
Classified By: DCM James F. Entwistle, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 002428
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PARIS PASS USMISSION UNESCO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018
TAGS: PREL MOPS TH CB
SUBJECT: THAI-CAMBODIAN DISPUTE OVER PREAH VIHEAR:
BILATERAL MEETINGS AIM TO DEFUSE TENSIONS
REF: STATE 78884
Classified By: DCM James F. Entwistle, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary and Comment: Meetings between Thai and
Cambodian regional military commanders in Thailand's Surin
Province August 13 and between Foreign Ministers planned
August 18-19 in Hua Hin indicate bilateral efforts to reduce
tensions in the spat over the territory near the Khmer Preah
Vihear temple are underway. We continue to believe that the
Preah Vihear dispute is one best solved bilaterally by
Thailand and Cambodia within the framework of the 2000
Thai-Cambodian Memorandum of Understanding To Survey and
Demarcate the Land Boundary (MOU),and do not recommend
additional U.S. steps, beyond our current position of urging
both sides to exercise restraint and work together to reach a
compromise (reftel). End Summary and Comment.
First Military Regional Commanders...
--------------
2. (U) Thailand's Second Army Area Commanding General LTG
Suchit Sitthiprapha hosted his Cambodian counterpart, 4th
Region Commanding General LTG Temon, August 13 in Surin
Province; the intended focus of the meeting was the
repositioning of troops from the contested border area
adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple, according to press
reports. Suchit and Temon issued a joint statement mid-day,
agreeing that both sides would reduce the number of soldiers
near the temple to an equal number in the near future,
without providing further details of how many and when.
...to be followed by Foreign Ministers
--------------
3. (SBU) Thai FM Tej Bunnag will host his Cambodian
counterpart Hor Namhong in Hua Hin August 18-19 to advance
diplomatic efforts to address the dispute. The Thai MFA's
East Asia division told us that the focus of the meetings
would be on two issues of immediate concern: redeployment by
both sides of troops still essentially co-located in the
disputed area, and the issuance of documents to be used as
common terms of reference by both sides. These documents
would facilitate further discussion at technical levels
(i.e., within the Joint Boundary Commission). FM Tej would
confirm at the August 18-19 meetings that border disputes
between Thailand and Cambodia should be solved amicably and
peacefully by the two countries, according to the MFA.
JOHN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PARIS PASS USMISSION UNESCO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018
TAGS: PREL MOPS TH CB
SUBJECT: THAI-CAMBODIAN DISPUTE OVER PREAH VIHEAR:
BILATERAL MEETINGS AIM TO DEFUSE TENSIONS
REF: STATE 78884
Classified By: DCM James F. Entwistle, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary and Comment: Meetings between Thai and
Cambodian regional military commanders in Thailand's Surin
Province August 13 and between Foreign Ministers planned
August 18-19 in Hua Hin indicate bilateral efforts to reduce
tensions in the spat over the territory near the Khmer Preah
Vihear temple are underway. We continue to believe that the
Preah Vihear dispute is one best solved bilaterally by
Thailand and Cambodia within the framework of the 2000
Thai-Cambodian Memorandum of Understanding To Survey and
Demarcate the Land Boundary (MOU),and do not recommend
additional U.S. steps, beyond our current position of urging
both sides to exercise restraint and work together to reach a
compromise (reftel). End Summary and Comment.
First Military Regional Commanders...
--------------
2. (U) Thailand's Second Army Area Commanding General LTG
Suchit Sitthiprapha hosted his Cambodian counterpart, 4th
Region Commanding General LTG Temon, August 13 in Surin
Province; the intended focus of the meeting was the
repositioning of troops from the contested border area
adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple, according to press
reports. Suchit and Temon issued a joint statement mid-day,
agreeing that both sides would reduce the number of soldiers
near the temple to an equal number in the near future,
without providing further details of how many and when.
...to be followed by Foreign Ministers
--------------
3. (SBU) Thai FM Tej Bunnag will host his Cambodian
counterpart Hor Namhong in Hua Hin August 18-19 to advance
diplomatic efforts to address the dispute. The Thai MFA's
East Asia division told us that the focus of the meetings
would be on two issues of immediate concern: redeployment by
both sides of troops still essentially co-located in the
disputed area, and the issuance of documents to be used as
common terms of reference by both sides. These documents
would facilitate further discussion at technical levels
(i.e., within the Joint Boundary Commission). FM Tej would
confirm at the August 18-19 meetings that border disputes
between Thailand and Cambodia should be solved amicably and
peacefully by the two countries, according to the MFA.
JOHN