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PHNOM PENH: Thai troops have pulled back from a hotly disputed border area after an ultimatum from Cambodia, military officials said Tuesday, calming fears of armed conflict between the neighbours.
The Cambodian officials said some 80 Thai troops began to withdraw from the area near the ancient Khmer Preah Vihear temple shortly after commanders from both sides held talks during the morning.
It followed an ultimatum from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who warned that the soldiers had to pull back by midday (0500 GMT) or it could become a battle zone.
"They withdrew from the area around 10:20am and went back to their headquarters, which is around a kilometre away," Cambodian Brigadier General Yim Pim told AFP by telephone from the area.
"There is no more confrontation now. The situation is eased now, but we still on high alert," he added.
Thai officials at the disputed border refused to confirm whether they had withdrawn.
However, its foreign ministry issued a statement saying Hun Sen's ultimatum ran "counter to the spirit of neighbourliness" and flouted a regional treaty on cooperation.
If Cambodia resorted to force, "Thailand will have to exercise its right of self-defence," the foreign ministry said, adding it was investigating whether Phnom Penh had violated an international treaty by laying new landmines during the spat.
Speaking at an economic forum in Phnom Penh before the reported withdrawal, Hun Sen maintained his tough rhetoric.
"I have ordered all military commanders to take responsibility for the area. The area is a life and death battle zone," he added.
"Ants can hurt elephants. They (Thais) should not have done this."
The International Court of Justice ruled back in 1962 that the Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia, but surrounding land remains in dispute.
Tensions between the neighbours first flared in July after the temple was awarded world heritage status by the United Nations cultural body UNESCO.
They escalated into a military confrontation, with to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops facing off for six weeks, although both sides in August agreed to reduce troop numbers.
Each country accuses the other of violating its territory.
Hun Sen's comments Tuesday reiterated the ultimatum he made Monday, after negotiations in Phnom Penh between the Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers ended without a breakthrough.
In Bangkok, Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat called an urgent meeting of the top military brass, and said he was not against withdrawing troops from the disputed area but that the two sides much first agree the details.
"Thailand is not opposed to a withdrawal, where each side moves back to avoid confrontation, but we propose that the detail of any withdrawal should be worked out by a joint committee," he told reporters earlier.
He said the committee would decide the extent of any pullback.
After his trip to Phnom Penh, Thai foreign minister Sompong had appeared bullish, saying he thought should they should wait for Cambodian officials to cool down and insisting the disputed land belonged to Thailand.
"The problem now is not about withdrawing or not withdrawing - it's our territory. How can they tell us that it is their territory?" he asked.
"As soon as I returned there was a report of a deadline. What can we do? We are in our own homeland, and they want us to evict us from our own home."
- AFP/yb
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