Cambodia, Thailand to withdraw troops

Cambodia and Thailand have set up a Joint Working Group (JWG) to work towards troop withdrawal from the demilitarised zone at the disputed border area near Preah Vihear temple.
Cambodia and Thailand have set up a Joint Working Group (JWG) to worktowards troop withdrawal from the demilitarised zone at the disputedborder area near Preah Vihear temple.

The Xinhua NewsAgency quoted Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh as saying said on Jan.17 that the Cambodian side is waiting for an invitation from Thailandto convene a meeting in Thailand this year in order to discuss the planfor troop redeployment from the provisional demilitarised zone (PDZ).

JWG, which comprises nearly 20 border affairs andmilitary experts, will work for the complete and simultaneous pullout ofthe two countries' military personnel from the PDZ under theobservation of the Joint Observer Team, including Cambodian, Thai andIndonesian monitors.

The talks on troop pullout fromthe PDZ was opened after the International Court of Justice on July 18,2011 ordered Cambodia and Thailand to immediately withdraw theirsoldiers from the PDZ and allow ASEAN observers to access to the PDZ tomonitor ceasefire.

In a press conference on Jan. 16,Indonesian Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiatoro said that the countryplans to send its military observers to Thailand – Cambodia disputedborder area on May 2./.

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