Informal talks between Bangkok and Phnom Penh over disputed border areas were halted abruptly and scheduled
formal talks postponed indefinitely amid political tension in Thailand, a Cambodian official said Thursday.
Defence Ministry Secretary of State Neang Phat said the Thai
delegation arrived Wednesday in Siem Reap, 300 kilometres north of Phnom Penh, and the two sides had talked amicably before formal talks
scheduled for Friday were abruptly cancelled.
"We had prepared all the documents," Phat said.
"Then a call came and they asked for the meeting to be delayed. They
didn't say why but we can assume. This is Thailand's business, not ours."
Phat was referring to the ongoing anti-government protests in
Bangkok by the Thai opposition People's Alliance for Democracy movement, which
escalated Tuesday.
Phat said no new date had been set for a resumption of joint
talks over border areas around the newly listed UNESCO World Heritage site of
Preah Vihear temple, as well as the Ta Moan temple complex 150 kilometres to its west.
Thailand maintains the sovereignty of the areas is disputed
but Phnom Penh claims the territory belongs to Cambodia. Several rounds of
bilateral talks so far have failed to break the impasse.
Cambodia closed the border to Thailand at Preah Vihear, north
of Siem Reap, in June after Thai protesters gathered in the area, saying it
feared trouble with Cambodian settlers.
On July 7 UNESCO granted the 11th-century hilltop Hindu
temple World Heritage status over protests by Thailand. Thai troops moved into
nearby areas a week later, severely straining relations between the neighbours,
dpa reported.