Cambodia, Thailand to agree on dispatch of military observers+

JAKARTA, Kyodo—Cambodia and Thailand will agree this week on the dispatch of military observers to a disputed border area where the two sides have traded fire, government officials from both countries said Monday.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told Kyodo News the agreement will materialize at the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta.

Foreign Ministers from the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will gather Tuesday in Jakarta to help resolve the border conflict, over which the U.N. Security Council has expressed grave concern and urged for the establishment of a permanent ceasefire.

Indonesia, current chair of ASEAN, initiated the meeting and hinted that it will likely send military observers upon requests from both parties.

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi on Monday told reporters in Jakarta that Thailand is ready to allow military observers from Indonesia or ASEAN to deploy in Thai territory on a monitoring mission.

"We are ready if Indonesia as the chair wishes to send military observers to the border," he said.
Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over their rival claims to 4.6 square kilometers of land around a temple on the border.

Since the temple was registered as a World Heritage Site in 2008, several rounds of border clashes have occurred.