PRESS RELEASE
The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia wishes to inform the national and international publics of the incidents occurred in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear as follows:
On 02 April 2009, one Thai soldier stepped on a landmine in the area of Veal Intry situated about 500 meters from the borderline inside Cambodian territory. After the incident, a group of well-armed Thai soldiers walked in the direction of the incident site, but they were stopped by Cambodian soldiers and asked to withdraw. As a result, both sides agreed to meet again at 09:00 am of the following day with promise from Thai side of returning without carrying weapons along.
But, at 06:40 am on 03 April 2009, the Cambodian forces encountered a group of Thai soldiers fully armed entering the Cambodian territory. At 07:12 am, the Thai soldiers opened fire on the Cambodian armed forces lasting approximately 7 to 8 minutes at the area of Veal Intry, which is the location of the said landmine explosion. The second intrusion of the Thai troops within these two days is in violation of terms agreed by both sides on 02 April 2009. This incursion happened without notice to the Cambodian side as promised a day earlier.
On 03 April 2009, at 11:45 am, negotiation between the commanders of the two sides took place at Keo Sikkha Kiri Svara pagoda. Both sides promised to resolve the issues without recourse to the use of forces and with patience. Afterward at 14:00 pm, thai troops launched another attack lasting about thirty five minutes at the area of Veal Intry.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation wishes to clarify as follows:
• The location of the landmine explosion on 02 April 2009 is situated in the area of Tasem, Veal Intry on point VA 649307 which is deeply inside Cambodian territory according to the international map of 1908 and the Convention of 1904, which have also been agreed by both sides in the MOU 2000. On the other hand, it has been well-known that all these landmines were laid during the period of three decades of war and the areas have not yet been cleared.
• The location of the armed clashes on 03 April 2009 in the areas of Phnom Trap on point VA6392, Tasem, Veal Intry and in the area in front of the Preah
Vihear Temple, is situated entirely in the territory under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
During these armed clashes, the Thai forces fired rounds of DK recoilless rifles, 12.7 heavy machine-guns, B 40 Rocket launchers, M79 launchers and other weaponries destroying the office of the Preah Vihear Authority, which is located inside the premises of Preah Vihear Temple, hitting the main staircases in front of the Temple, burning the market in front of the Preah Vihear Temple. Some shells fell in the surrounding areas of the Temple of Preah Vihear. In this exercise of self-defense rights to protect the Cambodian territorial integrity, there was no casualty of Cambodian soldiers as reported by some media.
The Royal Government of Cambodia expresses its deepest regret that Thai armed intrusions continue to occur repeatedly in the same areas; namely Tasem, Phnom Trap, Veal Intry and in front of the Temple of Preah Vihear. These acts of violation forced the Royal Cambodian Armed Force to use its self-defense rights to protect the territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and national heritage which has been listed recently as the World Heritage Property. As always, the Thai armed forces intruded the territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia based on the unilateral line drawn at its own will without any legal basis.
The Royal Government of Cambodia strongly believes that all the incidents along the Cambodian-Thai border should be resolved through negotiations. Cambodia has good will and exercises utmost restraints in order to find peaceful resolution to the border issues with Thailand through bilateral mechanism. However, Cambodia adheres to self-defense rights to totally protect the national territorial integrity. Cambodia hopes that the Thai side also has goodwill in order to put an immediate and definite end to the border disputes.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia wishes to inform the national and international publics of the incidents occurred in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear as follows:
On 02 April 2009, one Thai soldier stepped on a landmine in the area of Veal Intry situated about 500 meters from the borderline inside Cambodian territory. After the incident, a group of well-armed Thai soldiers walked in the direction of the incident site, but they were stopped by Cambodian soldiers and asked to withdraw. As a result, both sides agreed to meet again at 09:00 am of the following day with promise from Thai side of returning without carrying weapons along.
But, at 06:40 am on 03 April 2009, the Cambodian forces encountered a group of Thai soldiers fully armed entering the Cambodian territory. At 07:12 am, the Thai soldiers opened fire on the Cambodian armed forces lasting approximately 7 to 8 minutes at the area of Veal Intry, which is the location of the said landmine explosion. The second intrusion of the Thai troops within these two days is in violation of terms agreed by both sides on 02 April 2009. This incursion happened without notice to the Cambodian side as promised a day earlier.
On 03 April 2009, at 11:45 am, negotiation between the commanders of the two sides took place at Keo Sikkha Kiri Svara pagoda. Both sides promised to resolve the issues without recourse to the use of forces and with patience. Afterward at 14:00 pm, thai troops launched another attack lasting about thirty five minutes at the area of Veal Intry.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation wishes to clarify as follows:
• The location of the landmine explosion on 02 April 2009 is situated in the area of Tasem, Veal Intry on point VA 649307 which is deeply inside Cambodian territory according to the international map of 1908 and the Convention of 1904, which have also been agreed by both sides in the MOU 2000. On the other hand, it has been well-known that all these landmines were laid during the period of three decades of war and the areas have not yet been cleared.
• The location of the armed clashes on 03 April 2009 in the areas of Phnom Trap on point VA6392, Tasem, Veal Intry and in the area in front of the Preah
Vihear Temple, is situated entirely in the territory under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
During these armed clashes, the Thai forces fired rounds of DK recoilless rifles, 12.7 heavy machine-guns, B 40 Rocket launchers, M79 launchers and other weaponries destroying the office of the Preah Vihear Authority, which is located inside the premises of Preah Vihear Temple, hitting the main staircases in front of the Temple, burning the market in front of the Preah Vihear Temple. Some shells fell in the surrounding areas of the Temple of Preah Vihear. In this exercise of self-defense rights to protect the Cambodian territorial integrity, there was no casualty of Cambodian soldiers as reported by some media.
The Royal Government of Cambodia expresses its deepest regret that Thai armed intrusions continue to occur repeatedly in the same areas; namely Tasem, Phnom Trap, Veal Intry and in front of the Temple of Preah Vihear. These acts of violation forced the Royal Cambodian Armed Force to use its self-defense rights to protect the territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and national heritage which has been listed recently as the World Heritage Property. As always, the Thai armed forces intruded the territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia based on the unilateral line drawn at its own will without any legal basis.
The Royal Government of Cambodia strongly believes that all the incidents along the Cambodian-Thai border should be resolved through negotiations. Cambodia has good will and exercises utmost restraints in order to find peaceful resolution to the border issues with Thailand through bilateral mechanism. However, Cambodia adheres to self-defense rights to totally protect the national territorial integrity. Cambodia hopes that the Thai side also has goodwill in order to put an immediate and definite end to the border disputes.
Phnom Penh 03 April 2009
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and International Cooperation
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and International Cooperation
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