October 15, 2008 12:00am
*CAMBODIA and Thailand have pulled back from the edge of war after
threats to turn a disputed border area into a "life-and-death battle zone".*
Cambodian military officials said yesterday afternoon that Thai troops
had withdrawn from the area, hours after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun
Sen <http://www.cnv.org.kh/personInfo/biography_of_hun_sen.htm> issued
an ultimatum.
Hun Sen had earlier set a noon deadline for Thailand to remove about 80
soldiers he said had encroached on to a small patch of land near
Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple.
Cambodia warned Thailand it faced "a large-scale armed conflict" if the
troops did not leave. "We try to be patient, but I told the Thai foreign
minister . . . the area is a life-and-death battle zone," Hun Sen said.
Thai Premier Somchai Wongsawat
<http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSBKK3702620080917>
yesterday called a meeting of military leaders.
Tensions between the neighbours flared in July after the Preah Vihear
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasat_Preah_Vihear> temple was awarded
world heritage status <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasat_Preah_Vihear>
by the UN, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership
of the site.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24497613-5012752,00.html
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