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Fighting at Thai-Cambodia border kills 2 soldiers
 A gunfight broke out Wednesday between Thai and Cambodian troops at a disputed border zone near a landmark 11th-century temple, killing two Cambodian soldiers and escalating a conflict that has raised fears of war.The two neighboring countries almost immediately scrambled to reassure each other and the world that they wanted a peaceful resolution. The deaths were the first in four months of tension _ the latest flare-up in a decades-long dispute over a contested stretch of jungle near the Preah Vihear temple. The World Court awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but sovereignty over some surrounding land has never been clearly resolved. Cambodian army commander Brig. Gen. Yim Pim said fighting had "paused" in the afternoon. Cambodia announced that its regional military commander, Lt. Gen. Chea Mon, will meet Thursday with his Thai counterpart in talks to ease the tense situation. Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said the two countries' foreign ministers were already talking. "Cambodia is a good neighbor. We will use peaceful means. If there is violence, we have to negotiate," he said. The clash came a day after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen issued an ultimatum to Thailand to pull back its soldiers from the disputed territory. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters Wednesday that the U.S had noticed an increase in tensions along the border and "would urge restraint on both sides to refrain from any use of violence." He said they should peacefully resolve their differences. Posted by: Fred 2008-10-16 |
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