Cambodia denies troop reinforcement along border with Thailand
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Xinhua, June 28, 2011
Cambodia's Ministry of Defense on Tuesday issued a statement to deny that it has reinforced troops and added weaponry at Cambodian-Thai border.
The rejection came after Thailand's Army Region 2 spokesman Col Prawit Hookaew said on Monday that there was some redeployment and reinforcement of Cambodian troops along the border followed Thailand's withdrawal of its membership from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Convention on Saturday.
He added that there were some arms training taking place, such as using grenade launcher and artillery on Cambodian side.
However, Cambodia rejected the claim in the statement.
"Royal Cambodian Armed Forces absolutely reject this bad-willed fabrication by Thai troops to slander Cambodia and to prepare scenario to intoxicate and lie to national and international communities," said the statement.
"This fabricated information by Thai troops is just a groundless argument in advance, aiming at attacking and invading Cambodian territory sometime in the future," it added.
Thailand announced to pull out from the UNESCO's World Heritage Convention on Saturday as the World Heritage Committee (WHC) put the Phnom Penh-proposed management plan for the 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple on the meeting agenda during the 35th session of WHC in Paris. Thai government has insisted the WHC postpone consideration on the plan as it fears that the plan may threaten national sovereignty.
The International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear Temple to Cambodia in 1962. The conflict between Cambodia and Thailand occurred just a week after Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple was enlisted as World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.
Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square km (1.8 square miles) of scrub next to the temple.
Since then, both sides have built up military forces along the border and periodic clashes have happened, resulted in the deaths of troops and civilians on both sides.
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