DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Statement of Spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense” plus 9 more

A meeting was held at O'Smach border checkpoint from 10:30 am till 12:15 pm on 28 April 2011, between Cambodian Major General Chea Mon, commander of Military Region 4, and Thai Lieutenant General Thawatchai Samutsakorn, commander of Thai Army Region 2, and Thai military commander of the 6th Division, General Chavalit Choonpraksan.

The two parties agreed on the following points:
1- Cessation of fire agreement was reached from this moment onwards.

2- The two parties agreed to keep the presence status quo concerning their military positions and ceasing all troop re-deployments.

3- Commanders of both sides at the frontline are encouraged to meet and to establishing a communications group so as to facilitate communications in the event of incidents.

4- Leaving the border issue to the Joint Border Committee (JBC) of the two countries to handle it. The militaries are tasked with the issues related to the truce only.

5- Creating a favorable environment for the civilians to return to their villages so as to win each other's trust.

6- Reopening of the border checkpoints.

The military unit from both sides on Thursday agreed on the ceasefire at the areas of Ta Moan and Ta Krapey temple with persuading civilians to go back homes to build confidence for border situation.

According to media release from Cambodia's national defense ministry said that at the 10:30AM until 12: 15 on April 28, April, 2011, both sides had talked at O'smach areas in Cambodia between Cambodia's commander of 4^th regional army, Gen. Chea Mon and Siwachai Samuthsakorn, commander of regional army 2, and Vava Lit, commander of 6^th infantry unit from Thai side.

Both side agreed on the ceasefire, and all troops do not move keeping at their current stations, and both sides have to push military commanders to build relationship with regular connection timely. "For border matters, they agreed the border committee for governments from two countries to deal.  Military unit dealt ceasefire related matters only, it said.

Moreover, both side will help facilitate the civilians to go back home. The move will make confidence for both sides, it said.  Both sides agreed to open the border gates, he added.

PHMON PENH, April 28 Kyodo - Fighting continued for a seventh straight day Thursday between Cambodian and Thai forces, according to Cambodian officials.

Artillery shelling began in the early hours of Thursday in Oddar Meanchey province, and the fighting subsided shortly after 8:30 a.m.,

according to Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan.

He said the fighting was focused at a border area at the two temples of Ta Moan and Ta Krabei in northwestern Cambodia and had

spread to the nearby town of O'Smach.

Three civilians fleeing the town were injured in the latest fighting, and more than 30,000 Cambodians have so far been displaced.

On Wednesday, Hun Sen said current Thai leader is provoking war by exporting domestic problem to the border area with Cambodia and that he said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is his worst counterpart among Thai leaders since he came to power in 1985.

BANGKOK, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The continuing clashes along the border between Thailand and Cambodia have forced nine Thai state hospitals in Buri Ram and Surin provinces to suspend all, but emergency services, local media reported Wednesday.

Seven are health support hospitals in Buri Ram and Surin provinces, and two community hospitals in Phanom Dong Rak and Kap Choeng districts of Surin, Bangkok Post online reported.

Only emergency units are still running at the two community hospitals, to take care of soldiers wounded in border clashes, Thai Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said on Wednesday.

The suspension of most services at the nine hospitals was announced Wednesday after artillery shells landed near Phanom Dong Rak community hospital on Tuesday morning.

Health staff of these hospitals have been relocated to field hospitals about eight kilometres away from the border area.

The continuing fighting between Thai and Cambodian troops, erupted last Friday, has so far resulted in deaths on both sides, including five Thai soldiers.

JAKARTA, April 27 (Xinhua) - Thailand and Cambodia need to prove their commitment they have made in the meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) and the ASEAN ministerial meeting in Indonesia to settle dispute peacefully, an Indonesian official told Xinhua in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.

Michael Tene, spokesperson of Indonesia's Foreign Ministry, said that Indonesia is keeping to facilitate efforts for peaceful solution.

"However, we need a political will of both governments and Indonesia keeps trying to push it," said Tene.

He said that Indonesia as the current chair of ASEAN is deeply concerned over ongoing hostilities at their border areas between the two countries.

"We repeatedly ask them to stop these hostilities or this military action and urge them to use force that is in line with vision towards the ASEAN Community by 2015. Indonesia calls for both parties to show courage in putting to the fore the urgent need for cease fire," said Tene.

He said that Indonesia recalled that only barely two weeks ago, at the meeting of the JBC in Bogor of West Java province, Cambodia and Thailand had resolved to address the issues between them through diplomacy, however complex the issues are. "We believe that such diplomatic path must be persevered," he said.

According to Tene, actually there are some progresses of diplomacy between both countries as by early February, there was no hostility occurred.

"At that time, we had a successful mediation," he said.

He said that problem between the two countries should not put obstacle for the bloc to reach the ASEAN Community by 2015 and beyond it.

"We realize that there are threats against the goal of the ASEAN Community, including boundary, continent shelf as well of exclusive economic zone as we still have not yet 'managed' the issues well," said Tene.

However, he said, it does not mean that the issues becoming excuses for the countries to become enemies.

"We must settle the issues through negotiations," said Tene.

He also said that the ASEAN must work hard to achieve the safe and peaceful atmosphere.

"We don't take for granted on issues of peace and security. That atmosphere just doesn't fall from the sky. We must work it for years through diplomacy and negotiations. Thank God, we don't have any conflict for years," said Tene.

The border clash occurring nearby Ta Muen Thom and Ta Kwai temples in the disputed areas adjacent Thailand's northeastern Surin province early Wednesday morning marked the sixth straight day of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia.

The six-day deadly clashes occurring since April 22 result in deaths of soldiers on both sides. Thailand and Cambodia have accused each other to launch a new round of border conflicts.

BANGKOK, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Defense Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan abruptly canceled his planned trip to Cambodia for talks on border cease-fire because of distorted reports by Cambodian media, an army spokesman said Wednesday.

"We decided last night to cancel General Prawit's trip to Phnom Penh today after some Cambodian media reported that Thailand agreed to cease-fire talks after it admitted defeat and losses," said Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, the army spokesperson.

Originally, Cambodian Defense Minister General Tea Banh has agreed to meet his Thai counterpart in Phnom Penh on Wednesday shortly to discuss a cease-fire between the two countries after the fifth straight days of border fighting.

Thai army spokesman told Xinhua by telephone that Bangkok would wait for a few days until Cambodia would stop firing to show its sincerity for cease-fire before Thailand would resume talks on cease-fire.

"Thailand is suspicious of Cambodian sincerity after knowing those reports because previously Cambodia has been able to control the media," said Col. Sansern.

Thailand and Cambodia have accused each other to launch a new round of border conflicts.

VIENTIANE, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government expressed deeply concerned on the latest Thai-Cambodian border clashes and called for peaceful solutions to the conflict, local media reports on Wednesday.
The Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Khenthong Nouanthasing issued a statement expressing great concern over clashes between the armed forces of Thailand and Cambodia, according to the state-run Vientiane Times.
Khenthong said that the clashes caused loss of lives and property on both sides, and Laos as a neighboring country sharing borders with the two nations hopes Thailand and Cambodia will resolve their border issue through peaceful means, based on the principles of international laws and in a spirit of friendship as neighboring countries and members of the ASEAN family.