Ministers' playing golf before talks

April 28, 2009

Ministers' 'golf diplomacy'

Cambodian and Thai defence ministers on Tuesday teed off in a spot of golf diplomacy ahead of talks aimed at resolving a deadly territorial dispute. --PHOTO: AFP

PHNOM PENH - CAMBODIAN and Thai defence ministers on Tuesday teed off in a spot of golf diplomacy ahead of talks aimed at resolving a deadly territorial dispute, officials said.

Cambodia's defence minister Tea Banh and his Thai counterpart Prawit Wongsuwan played a round in the northwestern tourist hub of Siem Reap with other military officials ahead of their Wednesday border negotiations.

'We are playing golf with the Thai delegation now,' General Neang Phat told AFP by telephone, declining to give more details about the planned discussions.

Var Kimhong, the chairman of Cambodia's border committee, said the meeting would focus on general matters surrounding their long-running border feud.

'We will talk about the border issue,' said Var Kimhong, who will also attend the meeting.

Military officials from the two countries also golfed together in Siem Reap last October after four Thai and Cambodian soldiers were killed in fighting on disputed land around 11th-century Preah Vihear temple.

However that did not defuse tensions enough to prevent further border gunbattles, which killed three Thai soldiers early this month.

Troops from the two countries have been in a border standoff since tensions flared last July, when the cliff-top temple was awarded United Nations World Heritage status.

Ownership of the temple was awarded to Cambodia in 1962 but the two countries are in dispute over five square kilometres of land around the temple which has yet to be officially demarcated. -- AFP