Cambodia appoints first female deputy premier

Phnom Penh (dpa) - Cambodia has appointed former soldier turned journalist Mem Sam An as its first female deputy prime minister, the politician confirmed Thursday.

The 55-year-old, who represents the south-western province of Svay Rieng, was a senior minister in the previous cabinet and said she is honoured by the promotion.

Mem Sam An became part of Cambodian folklore in the 1970s, marshalling troops on the Vietnam border against the Khmer Rouge with what her comrades describe as extraordinary bravery.

She subsequently became an important member of the ruling Cambodian People's Party, which was returned with an increased majority in national elections in July, and has also worked as a journalist for party publications.

"I became a soldier when I was 16. This honour shows that women can achieve anything if they have support," she said.

In Cambodia, seven deputy prime ministers jointly served under Prime Minister Hun Sen last term.

Democratic elections resumed in Cambodia in 1993 after nearly three decades of civil war and are held every five years.

Politics in Cambodia has traditionally been male-dominated, although there are a number of powerful female politicians, especially within Mem Sam An's own party.

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Cambodia recruiting militias on border with Thailand

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian provincial and military officials said they are recruiting militias along the border with Thailand to protect frontier villages if hostilities erupt again amid a territory dispute between the two countries, national media reported Thursday.

Some 2,400 Cambodians have already volunteered to serve in the paramilitary units in Oddar Meanchey province alone, Deputy Governor Loun An was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying.

"We are in the process of recruiting people for militias to protect homes and ensure security for people if there is a war with Thai soldiers," Loun An said.

"Militia members receive no salary and do not register with the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), although they will get some sponsorship money," he added.

The Cambodian government has called for calm following last week's border clash that has resulted in the deaths of three Cambodian soldiers and a Thai trooper.

The violence has only encouraged more Cambodians to come to their nation's defense, Chuong Praseuth of the Banteay Meanchey provincial administration told the Post.

In July, tensions ran high after the ancient Preah Vihear Temple was awarded world heritage status by UNESCO, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.

The tension later turned into a military stalemate, in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks.

In early October, at least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were wounded during sporadic exchange of gunfire and two other Thai soldiers were seriously injured after stepping on a landmine at the border area, the report said.
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Fresh talks on Thai-Cambodia row

Military officials from Thailand and Cambodia are preparing for a new round of talks aimed at easing tensions along their shared border after last week's outbreak of violence.

Nhek Bunchhay, the Cambodian deputy prime minister, said on Thursday that the move was part of efforts to "break the stalemate" that led to the clashes.

The two sides agreed on a joint border patrol last week following a gunbattle that left two Cambodian soldiers dead and three more wounded. Seven Thai troops were also injured.

The clashes near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple sparked fears that the two countries were headed for an outright war, prompting lengthy ceasefire discussions.

Both sides however said that they will maintain troops and artillery in the area.

Border tensions escalated following increased rhetoric in recent weeks, with political and military leaders blaming each other for trespassing on to the others' territory.

The ancient Hindu ruin which is at the centre of the dispute obtained a UN listing as a World Heritage Site in July, a ruling that re-ignited a decades-old feud.

Both countries have long claimed the temple complex but the World Court awarded it to Cambodia in 1962.

Thousands of Cambodian villagers in the area near the Preah Vihear temple have fled their homes amid fears of more violence.

The international community including the US and UK has urged the two countries to show restraint over the standoff.

Cambodia and Thailand have deployed hundreds of troops to the border region, backed by heavy equipment and air support.
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Amidst Thai-Cambodia spat, Asem meets in China

By Bill Smith

NOTE: The Asia-Europe summit runs from Friday to Saturday

Beijing (dpa) - This week's largest ever gathering of Asian and European leaders was planned to focus on efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable development, but those efforts now look likely to be overshadowed by the need to respond to the global financial turmoil.
The Thai and Cambodian prime ministers are expected to discuss their nations' recent border skirmish on the sidelines of the meeting.

Talks between the prime ministers of India and China, and between the leaders of South Korea and Japan, should be other highlights among the dozens of bilateral sessions expected.

But discussions on the financial crisis and economic recession are likely to dominate the two-day summit.

Talks on the financial crisis are expected to be "very intense" between leaders of the 27 European and 16 Asian nations at the seventh biannual Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) in Beijing, Serge Abou, the EU ambassador to China, told reporters.

"The main thing is to come out with strong and united messages conveying confidence," Herve Ladsous, the French ambassador to China, said of the talks on global finance.

"China has made it very clear that they will contribute towards a common effort," Ladsous said.

Separate "clusters" of discussions are planned on banking and financial systems, he said.

Expansion of cooperation between Asia and Europe in trade and service industries could play an important role in resolving the financial crisis, Yi Xiaozhun, China's vice-minister of commerce, said on Monday.

"In addition to stabilizing financial markets, open, stable and fair international trade relations are very important for restoring confidence and getting over the economic difficulty," state media quoted Yi as saying.

Asia and Europe "really need an agreement on free trade," Abou said.

"We sincerely hope that this year's conference will give a push to the trade talks," he said.

This year's Asem summit includes several new members, notably India and Pakistan, meaning the delegates represent a combined 50-60 per cent of the global population and economy.

France, which holds the rotating European Union presidency, will present an Asem statement on climate change under the theme of "Vision and action: towards a win-win solution."

Host nation China has drafted another joint statement on the financial crisis, while the EU wants to mark the 60th anniversary of the universal declaration on human rights with a "summit commitment to implementing human rights," said EU officials in Brussels.

The officials said the EU would push for "the maximum commitment we can get" from Asia on signing up to a post-Kyoto deal on climate change at talks in Copenhagen in December 2009.

But China and other Asian nations appear unlikely to shift from their insistence that European and other developed countries must take the lead on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

"China is a big energy consuming power in the world, so we face lots of pressure," Zhang Haibing, an economist at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The ruling Communist Party's promotion of leader Hu Jintao's "scientific outlook on development" reflects the importance that China attaches show to environmental issues, Zhang said.

China also wants to make more use of advanced environmental technology from EU nations, she said.

"The main difference between China and the EU is the idea of 'common but differentiated responsibilities'," she said, referring to China's support for the UN principle of different goals for developing and developed nations.

Despite the anticipation of several joint statements, Zhang said the Asem meeting was "not likely to reach any substantial achievement."

But she denied that bilateral meetings between the leaders would be more important than the main forum, except perhaps for "certain countries or under certain circumstances."

The Asian nations attending the summit are the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), China, Japan, South Korea and new members India, Pakistan and Mongolia.

"The recent turbulence in the international financial market has dealt a blow to the world economy and aroused the concern of the entire international community," Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in a speech to an Asem forum last week.

"No country in the world can expect to stay away from such issues as global warming, environmental degradation, resource shortage and the increasingly grave international economic and financial situation or address them on one's own," Yang said.

"In this connection, strengthened cooperation between Asia and Europe not only serves the immediate need but also has a long-term strategic significance," he said.

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Thai-Cambodian border committee set to meet

(BangkokPost.com) - Thai army and government officials will attend Thai-Cambodian Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting, aimed at seeking peaceful solutions to the ongoing border row between both countries.

The RBC meeting is scheduled to be held on Thursday and Friday in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

The previous meeting was held between Thailand’s Second Army commander, Lt-Gen Wiboonsak Neeparn, and Cambodia’s Fourth Army commander, Gen Chea Mon, following the armed clash between both sides near Preah Vihear temple on October 16.

Meanwhile, the Second Army deputy commander, Maj-Gen Veevalit Jornsamrit, said the Thai troops have beefed up security along the Thai-Cambodian border area to prevent armed confrontations with Cambodian soldiers from happening again.

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Cambodians Favor Diplomatic Solution to Temple Standoff With Thailand

By Rory Byrne
Phnom Penh

Nationalist fervor has been rising in Cambodia as anger mounts over what Cambodians consider to be an illegal occupation of their land around the Preah Vihear temple by Thai troops. However, with bitter memories of three decades of war still fresh in many people's minds, political analysts say the Cambodian government will continue to seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Rory Byrne has this report from Phnom Penh.

Buddhist services were held across Cambodia for the three soldiers killed in fighting with Thai troops around Preah Vihear temple on October 16.

Nationalist anger has risen in Cambodia since last week when Cambodian and Thai troops exchanged gunfire around the temple. Cambodians consider the dispute over land just the latest in a long series of arguments over land with their more powerful neighbor.

In 1962, The International Court of Justice ruled the 900-year-old temple lies in Cambodia, but a main access route to it is in Thailand. The dispute over the land was dormant for decades, however, until a few months ago, when Thai nationalists objected to Cambodia's petition to have the complex declared a United Nations World Heritage site.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen recently threatened to turn the area around the temple into a "life and death battlefield" if Thailand refused to withdraw its soldiers from what he says is Cambodian territory. The Thais deny crossing into Cambodia.

Chea Vannath is an independent political analyst in Phnom Penh. She says that in light of Mr. Hun Sen's victory in recent elections, he is anxious to prove his strongman credentials to the domestic audience.

"He [has] achieved a lot of things already in his political life and it's time for him to prove that he's really serious about protecting the integrity and sovereignty of Cambodia," Chea said. "It's just the right time, because he won 90 seats - a landslide victory, he got everything, so this one is the next stage."

However, some political analysts in Cambodia say the last thing the country really wants is a war with Thailand. Cambodia's economy is growing but the country remains poor and is still recovering from three decades of conflict.

Plus, the army is small and ill-equipped compared with Thai forces.

But, say some Cambodians, many of its troops are hardened fighters experienced in guerrilla warfare. Even Mr. Hun Sen noted that strength, saying "Ants can hurt elephants."

Chea Vannath says despite rhetoric, the government will search for a diplomatic solution.

"We have plenty of peaceful negotiation institutions such as [the] U.N. or ASEAN or the Paris Peace Agreement or the International Court," Chea said. "So we have plenty of mechanisms rather than focusing on force because when it gets to war both countries stand to lose."

Mr. Hun Sen and Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat are expected to discuss the dispute on Friday or Saturday while they attend a summit with European leaders in Beijing.

So far, peace talks have made little progress and Cambodian and Thai troops reportedly are digging in deeper around Preah Vihear, preparing for a long standoff.
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Child sex trade soars in Cambodia

Girls as young as 14 work in brothels' around Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, and while the industry is often shown as serving predatory foreign tourists, local men have been found to be the mainstay of clients.

Thousands of children are bought and sold for sex every day in Cambodia an investigation by Al Jazeera found.

Al Jazeera filmed secretly at several brothels, and in each case found much the same thing - rooms full of young women in their early twenties, as well as teenagers.

"For my virginity they gave me $200," Ya Da, a 16-year-old former prostitute, said.

Ya Da worked in a brothel for two years before she ran away. Now, she lives in a safe house with other former prostitutes and abused children.

"There were just a few foreign customers [at the brothel]," she said. "I never slept with any, I slept only with Cambodian men."

'Local customers'

Mu Sochua, a politician with the opposition Sam Rainsy Party and a former minister for women's affairs, told Al Jazeera that most of Cambodia's sex industry was supported "by local customers".

"And some of these local customers are high-ranking officials. You have the military, the police and civil servants. you have rich businessmen who have lots of money," she said.
The involvement of high-ranking officials has been one reasons, NGOs say, that the sex industry has thrived in Cambodia.

"Very often these brothels and criminal networks are being supported and protected by high ranking officials," Mark Capaldi, from Ecpat International, an orgnaisation working to eliminate child prostitution, said.

"The problem is not just as abusers but also the impunity and lack of law enforcement in closing down these brothels and karaoke bars."

Daniela Reale, an advisor from Save the Children, told Al Jazeera: "The reality is that we do know local demand is the force driving this abuse.

"We also know it is around 70 per cent of local demand rather than sex tourism."

But General Bith Kim Hong, from the Cambodian national police force, rejected allegations that the officials focused their efforts to curb prostitution almost exclusively on foreigners.

"The national police are concerned about anyone who commits a crime, who has sex with children, whether they are foreigners or Cambodian," he told Al Jazeera.

"We have a very high commitment to prevent child prostitution."

Few arrests

Last year, the Cambodian police arrested only 21 people for committing sex crimes with children - eight of those arrested were foreigners and 13 were Cambodians.

The police also admit that the brothels they shut down in high-profile raids often reopen a few weeks later.

In 2002, Gary Glitter, the British pop star, was expelled from Cambodia amid child-sex allegations.

But while the arrest and conviction of foreigners make the headlines, most child sex trafficking supplies local demand, Mu Sochua said.

"It is easier to catch a foreigner and also the government wants to have showcases to make itself look good - that Cambodia is actually taking care of this problem of human trafficking, which is really not the truth," she told Al Jazeera.

Reale said that governments need to combat the worldwide problem: "They need to address their legal system and their law enforcement."

To tackle the poverty that forces girls into prostitution, Reale said that governments must provide support systems to help families match their needs.

She said that the 3rd World Conference on Sexual Exploitation of Children in Rio de Janeiro next month will be as a big opportunity to make real and genuine committments. Read more!

Malaysia to ask for Thailand, Cambodia to settle conflicts peacefully

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia is expected to ask for Thailand, Cambodia to solve their conflicts peacefully in the spirit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a senior official said on Tuesday.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Dais Yatim made this remark at a hotel in Putrajaya, administrative center of the Malaysian Federal Government, after he had a luncheon with the heads of missions of Americas in Malaysia.

Dais said that he would travel to Bangkok and, if possible, to Cambodia, to convey a message from Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi suggesting the two countries solve their conflicts without resorting to the use of arms.

He also hoped that more ASEAN countries would join to ask for Thailand and Cambodia to discuss ways to solve the problem between them without involvement of arms.

Dais told reporters that he believed that the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia would not widen.

Dais was scheduled to visit Thailand late Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.
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Thai soldier injured in Cambodia border clash dies: doctor

BANGKOK (AFP) — A Thai soldier who sustained shrapnel wounds to the head during a firefight with Cambodian troops along their disputed border died on Tuesday, the doctor treating him said.

Boonyarit Khanti, 40, had been in a coma since October 15, when gunfire erupted on patches of disputed land near Cambodia's ancient Preah Vihear temple, a UN heritage site at the centre of long-standing bilateral tensions.

"He died (Tuesday morning) from sudden kidney failure, which was one of the complications," said Monchai Wiwatanasithipong, a doctor at Suppasithiprasong Hospital in northeast Ubon Ratchathani province.

Two Cambodian soldiers died during the shoot-out, while a third died a day later of smoke inhalation and illness which authorities said was linked to the clashes.

Six Thai soldiers were also injured.

Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand flared in July when Preah Vihear was awarded UN World Heritage status, rekindling long-simmering tensions over ownership of land surrounding the temple.
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Thai, Cambodian PMs may talk at Asem summit

(BangkokPost.com) - Prime Minister and Defence Minister Somchai Wongsawat said he will attend the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) in Beijing from Oct 23 to 25, and he may hold informal talks on the Thai-Cambodian border dispute with Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen there.

"If there is an opportunity for bilateral talks, then it would be held, but it also depends on the coordination between both countries’ foreign ministries. The matter should not be raised at the Asem," Mr Somchai said.

According to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s advisor, both premiers could meet and seek solutions to the border conflict, and they may hold informal talks at the Asem in Beijing on Friday.

The Foreign Ministry of Cambodia disclosed that the border row between the two countries will be Cambodia’s main informal agenda. The Thai Foreign Ministry has not responded to this report yet.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of Asean Affairs director-general Vitavas Srivihok affirmed that Thailand is ready to host the Asean Summit this December, and Prime Minister Somchai will remain as the Asean chairman despite facing a political crisis.

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Malaysia seeks to diffuse Thai-Cambodia border row

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia's foreign minister said Monday his planned visits to Thailand and Cambodia are a friendly effort to help diffuse a border dispute between the neighbors, and not interference in their affairs.

Rais Yatim said Malaysia and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, have an interest in ensuring the border conflict does not intensify and jeopardize regional peace.

The dispute, if not checked, could embarrass ASEAN and mar its credibility as a regional bloc, he warned.

A brief but deadly gunfight erupted between Thai and Cambodian soldiers last week over disputed land near the centuries-old Preah Vihear temple, sparking fears of war.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has rejected outside help in the conflict.

"We don't consider ourselves as (outsiders). We consider ourselves within ASEAN and if we cannot play the role of a neighbor, the role of a good friend, then what are we for?" Rais told reporters.

"This is not a positive dot for ASEAN. This could be looked at as a very questionable development ... we have to convince the world that we can take care of our problems and relationship with each other," he said.

Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand are all members of ASEAN, which has a policy of noninterference in member nations' domestic affairs. ASEAN also includes Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.

Rais Yatim said he would fly to Thailand on Tuesday or Wednesday, and to Cambodia later this month, to urge both parties to resolve the conflict through peaceful negotiations.

He said he would submit a letter of concern from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to the Thai and Cambodian leaders and urge them not to "resort to physical or military means."

The World Court awarded the 11th century temple to Cambodia in 1962, but sovereignty over surrounding land has never been clearly resolved.

Hun Sen is expected to meet Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat later this week in their first face-to-face meeting since the deadly gunbattle erupted Oct. 15, killing two Cambodian soldiers and wounding 10 from both sides.

Rais said his visits are partly in response to a request by ASEAN Secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan for member nations to make "friendly overtures so that the skirmish is undertoned." Read more!

Local people flee amid concern of Cambodian-Thai armed confrontation

By Xia Lin, Liu Lu, Long Heng

PREAH VIHEAR, Cambodia, Some local residents have been fleeing from the area near Preah Vihear temple amid concern of armed confrontation between Cambodia and Thailand after a deadly clash on the border last week.

"Three members of my family have moved back to Kandal province and I stay here to look after my small souvenir shop in front of the temple," local businessman Srun Sokhorn told Xinhua on Monday.

Some people living at the bottom of the mountain also fled, but some others did not. They watch movies and boxing matches on TV at small cafes, Srun Sokhorn said, adding that about 200 of 319 families still stay here.

"We hope the situation will be normal soon so that I can run my business again," he said.

Local residents are facing shortage of clean water, he said, so they made tent reservoir to collect rain water.

Some children are facing flu from bad weather at the mountain area near the Preah Vihear temple, Kim Ratana, said a doctor at the Preah Vihear provincial health office.

"We are treating a soldier who was infected with malaria," she said.

Meanwhile, the Cambodian and Thai troops have become friendly to each other, after the armed clash killed two Cambodian soldiers and wounded more Thais on Oct. 15 near the Preah Vihear Temple at the border area, officers told Xinhua on Monday.

"They are shaking hands, talking to each other and asking about daily food," said Thol Sovan, deputy military commander of the Cambodian side at the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda, which is situated on the only way leading to the temple.

They have good relationship and both troops at the pagoda didn't exchange gunfire on Oct. 15, he said.

"The Thai side didn't (dare to) shoot at us here, because we were all around them at that time," he said.

But Thai soldiers elsewhere shot at us, he said, while pointing at newly fired branches of the jack fruit tree in front of the pagoda.

Meanwhile, Thai military major Apichaut Poo Paud told Xinhua that the troops themselves are like brothers and don't have problem with each other.

"We have good cooperation and relationship," he said, adding that 10 Thai soldiers and two interpreters stay in the pagoda compound.

In other places, Cambodia and Thailand are keeping the same number of soldiers, he added.

Srey Doek, regional military commander of Cambodia, told Xinhua that the situation near the temple is now normal and clam.

However, the number of both troops within the territory is roughly estimated at more than one thousand, he added.

After the Oct. 15 armed conflict, both troops have agreed to conduct joint patrol of the border area, but the two governments have postponed their talks from Tuesday (Oct. 21) to Friday (Oct. 24) to find peaceful solution for their border dispute.

In other developments, the engineering unit of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) is rebuilding and expanding the current road to the Preah Vihear Temple.

"They are rebuilding the road single direction first to provide easiness for travelers and will also construct a few small bridges over the streams at the area," said Chan Thoern, receptionist working at a neighborhood hotel near the temple.

As the renovation ends, the road is expected to become double direction and remains the only way running along the mountain to the temple, Chan told Xinhua.

"With the road completed, it will be much easier for us and tourists to access the temple, although there are still some steep places," said Chan, who came from Kampong Cham province to help his uncle run his business.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, the government and some charitable people have funded the reconstruction, according to the reports of Chinese-language daily newspaper the Commercial News.

Tourists used to arrive at the 900-year-old temple from the Thai side, as the traffic facilities there are well-built.

In addition, the land price at the bottom of the mountain where the 900-year-old Preah Vihear Temple is situated atop, has been increasing rapidly, since it was awarded world heritage status by UNESCO in July, residents said.

"Here will be another popular destination for tourists," said taxi driver Sean Kim on Monday.

A piece of land measuring 1,000 square meters used to sell at 2,000 U.S. dollars, but now is up to 10,000 U.S. dollars, he said.

"I hope the government will build a market here soon," said Sean, adding that there is no bus station, either.

It is difficult to find a taxi car here leaving for the town or nearby province Siem Reap, he said, adding that current taxi car service and food are all expensive.

Local food vendor Neang Kheng said that the price is high because everything is brought from other provinces and the road is poor for transportation.

"Food is simple here, just drinks, rice, instant noodles, pork, fish and vegetables," she said.

The current military face off between Cambodia and Thailand has almost stalled the life at the foot of the mountain, she added.

In July, tensions ran high after the ancient Preah Vihear Temple was awarded world heritage status by UNESCO, angering nationalists in Thailand who still claim ownership of the site.

The tension later turned into a military stalemate, in which up to 1,000 Cambodian and Thai troops faced off for six weeks.

In early October, at least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were wounded during sporadic exchange of gunfire and two other Thai soldiers were seriously injured after stepping on a landmine at the border area. 　
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US meltdown boosts Russia's place

By Kavi Chongkitthavorn
The Nation

The US financial meltdown and its global fallout have boosted Russia's place in the world, especially in Southeast Asia. The crisis came at just the time when Russia had made it clear it is a great power to be reckoned with in the new global scheme of things. It was no longer the broken empire it once was. With booming oil and gas sales and huge foreign currency reserves, Russia is resurrecting. Its growing politฌical and economic clout is gradually being felt in the region after a nearly 17-year absence.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the disintegration of the former Soviet Union in 1991, the overall Russian influฌence in Southeast Asia receded rapidly. Military ties and developmental assisฌtance, which used to be the cornerstone of Moscow's ties with countries in the region such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos were no longer there.

So far, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev's latest pronouncement of a fivepoint foreign policy has escaped close scrutiny within the region, which was the hotbed of the fivedecade Cold War confrontation.

Russia has rightly emphasised the importance of adherence to internationฌal law as the first priority. Following the Russian troops crossing the Georgian border and recognising Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent, suspicions were high the world over of Moscow's intention. The rest of its diplomatic thrusts focused on the imperative of a multipolar world and the desire to be friends with all countries in the world because Russia does not want to live in isolation.

The most interesting aspects of Russian new foreign policy are the great emphasis on its "privileged interests" in regions outside its borders and the proฌtection of Russian citizens and business interests worldwide. Obviously, most of the Western analysts have so far zeroed in on the countries which broke away from the former Soviet Union such as Ukraine, Georgia and others in Central Asia. Some of them have allied themฌselves with the US and European defence cooperation schemes.

Asean leaders have generally viewed the latest Russian assertiveness primaฌrily as direct reactions, mainly towards the West, especially on the crisis in Georgia and the planned expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. They do not see the possibility of a return of the Cold War because of late AseanRussia relations have been focused on economic and business affairs.

At a joint AseanRussian cooperation committee meeting held in St Petersburg early this month, both sides discussed ways to strengthen their cooperation at all levels including sciฌence and technology and culture. They did not touch on any security issues or concerns. Asean also thanked Russia's contribution of US$500,000 for the AseanRussian Dialogue Partnership Fund, which showed Moscow's firm commitment to promote the AseanRussia dialogue.

In more ways than one, Asean has yet to fully assess - or look into the eyes of Moscow, as one Thai diplomat put it - Russia's new diplomatic clout and its short and longterm impacts on the region as a whole. That helps explain why Asean still does not have any common approach towards Russia. In the past, such strong words would have sent a chill through the grouping's spine.

Judging from past security involveฌments and policies, Moscow has a clear objective to counter US influence in the region (which is also quite similar to China's).

During the Cold War, the regional concerns among the noncommunist countries were the Soviet Union's supฌport of proxy wars in Vietnam and Cambodia, including Moscow's military outreach in Cam Ranh Bay. Now Southeast Asia has been brought together under the Asean umbrella. This obviously represents the region in which Russia has privileged interests.

In the past five years, after the Asean summit in Phnom Penh in 2003, Russia has quietly and confidently been buildฌing up ties with Asean, which subseฌquently led to its accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation a year later.

The first AseanRussian summit was held in Kuala Lumpur in 2005 followed by President Vladimir Putin's dramatic appearance as the guest of honour at the East Asian Summit (EAS), which was considered a preview of Russia's ambition in this region. Moscow has made no qualms about wanting to join EAS. But Asean has been reluctant as it does not want to alienate the US. The plan to institutionalise the AseanRussian summit has also been delayed.

At present, Russia has established more dialogue mechanisms to strengthฌen the whole gamut of the 11year old AseanRussia relations than the 31yearold AseanUS relations. After all, the leaders of Asean and the US have yet to meet exclusively.

Within Asean, it must be reiterated here, Thailand would be most affected by the new Russian assertiveness. Apart from being one of the closest allies of the US, Thailand also has extensive ecoฌnomic and trade relations with Russia. It has been Russia's largest trading partner in the past years with the balฌance of trade hugely in Russia's favour. In recent years, the numbers of Russian tourists have swollen to nearly 300,000 including those who have taken resiฌdence over here.

In the coming months, the fate of Viktor Bout, the infamous Russian arms trader arrested by the Thai authorities in March, could determine the state of powerplay in the region between the US and Russia. Both countries want Bout extradited. It will be the first test to determine whether Russia is willing to walk the talk on protecting its citiฌzens, even ones as notorious and danฌgerous as Bout. Thailand's decision, which has been slow in coming, would be scrutinised by other Asean countries.

As the Asean chair, what Thailand does would have a great ramification for years to come.

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Thai-Cambodian border resolution meeting postponed

BANGKOK, Oct. Cambodia has postponed the meeting to resolve the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand without giving any reason, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Sunday.

Thailand's Second Army Chief Wibulsak Neepal was scheduled to lead Thai delegates for bilateral talks at Cambodia's Siem Reap province next Wednesday and Thursday.

Thailand's ministry of foreign affairs revealed that it was informed by the army that Cambodian deputy prime minister and defense minister Tia Banh asked to postpone the Regional Border Committee meeting between the two countries.

According to reports from the Thai News Agency, it is believed that the postponement resulted from concern that the meeting, if held according to the original schedule, won't be able to reach any agreement to settle the border dispute focused on the 11th century Preah Vihear temple without a negotiation framework approved by the Thai parliament.

Bilateral talks to discuss withdrawing troops from around the temple were postponed late August amid political turmoil in Thailand.

In early October, at least one Cambodian soldier and two Thai troops were wounded during sporadic exchange of gunfire and two other Thai soldiers were seriously injured after stepping on a landmine at the border area.
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Giving young dancers a break

By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer

LONG BEACH - Images of b-boys, break dancers and crew battles don't necessarily equate to social activism in many minds.

The slums of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, may not seem like the breeding ground for a new wave of world class hip-hop dancers.

But if a seemingly mismatched combination of a b-boy artist from Seattle, several Long Beach activists and a deportee former gang member turned teacher have their way, those preconceptions will soon end.

Phanna Nam, or Peanut as he is known in dancing circles, is a Cambodian-American member of the renowned Massive Monkees dance group in Seattle. A year ago, he traveled to Cambodia for the first time and had a life-transforming experience.

After graduating from high school Tan, 24, was attending college when he says, "I had a revelation, a calling to go to Cambodia."

While overseas, Nam met another talented break dancer, a teacher and former gang member from Long Beach named Tuy Sobil, and a bond was formed.

Tuy, better known as KK in dance circles, was deported to Cambodia after being convicted of armed robbery and completing his jail sentence in the United States.

Tuy soon drew the notice of admiration of local children for his dance moves and before long they were flocking to watch and learn his techniques.

Seeing break dancing as an effective tool to engage children from the impoverished area in a constructive pursuit, Tuy founded Tiny Toones in 2004.

Since its formation, the group has become a spectacular success and springboard to offer education and social services to the children, many of whom are the children and siblings of sex workers, drug users and dropouts.
Now, in addition to learning windmills and head spins, kids also learn about HIV/AIDs and receive access to a variety of mental and physical health services. Many are also given food and shelter.

After teaching classes in his home for the first few years and picking up expenses, Tuy is moving Tiny Toones to a new center that will continue to offer dance classes plus myriad drop-in services and language training in English and Khmer.

When Nam met Tuy and saw the kids of Tiny Toones, he knew he had to be a part of it.

"We just connected," Nam says of his relationship with Tuy. "We had a lot in common, although he's a little more severe with the gang stuff. He's given me an opportunity and a dream."

What impressed Nam was the organic way in which Tiny Toones came together.

"The thing that drew me was this was asked for by the people. It wasn't a church or someone that came in and told the people what to do," Nam says. "It's not telling them what to do, it's working with them and growing with them."

Nam has been dancing since he was a child and became a founding member of Massive Monkees, which has earned world acclaim.

Now, Nam wants to bring that to Cambodia. The young dancer plans to move to Cambodia in November and start working with the kids in earnest.

With the help of several Long Beach residents who are helping put together a nonprofit in the United States, Nam sees Tiny Toones as having the chance to become a major player in the international break dancing scene and produce world-class talent.

"Can you imagine bringing a kid from a village (in Cambodia) to London to compete?" Nam says. "Eventually we'll get Tiny Toones out there."

Ryan Tong, a recent Cal State Long Beach graduate who is helping with the business side of Tiny Toones, says the goal of Tiny Toones is also to teach the kids to manage and oversee finances and eventually let them run the nonprofit.

"As much as art is important, so is money." Tong says. "That's freedom."

Although not a dancer himself, Tong is eager to learn.

"I'll be one of the first guys who learns break dancing to do social work," he says with a laugh.

A step down that path will occur tonight at Cal State Long Beach with a break dancing contest and benefit titled "Beyond the Mats 2," which will raise funds for Tiny Toones.

Nam expects upward of 400 or 500 spectators and participants.

In addition to putting on a good show with hot music and dancing, Nam and Tong hope to also get the message out to the b-boy and b-girl culture that they are part of something global and important and they can make a difference.

"We want to raise the consciousness of people here," Nam said. "We want to connect b-boys with issues of importance."

greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291

BEYOND THE MATS 2

What: Break dancing contest benefit for Cambodia

When: Today, 3-10 p.m.

Where: Cal State Long Beach Student Union Grand Ballroom

Tickets: $10, $7 with CSULB ID.

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Thai PM seeks direct talks over Cambodia border row

KANTARALAK, Thailand –– Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said on Saturday he would seek face-to-face talks with Cambodian leader Hun Sen after a border clash near a 900-year-old temple this week.

“I am looking for the right time to talk with him. We should have an opportunity to talk,” Somchai told reporters after visiting Thai troops facing Cambodian forces along the border.

The Thai leader echoed Hun Sen’s comments on Friday that outside mediation was not needed to resolve the dispute. “This is an issue between Thailand and Cambodia. We should not let other countries get involved,” Somchai said.

Both sides have sought to ease tensions since three Cambodian soldiers were killed in Wednesday’s 40-minute firefight. Two Cambodians and seven Thais were wounded.

Both leaders were expected to attend a Southeast Asian meeting in Beijing next week to discus the global financial crisis, but it was not clear whether they would meet then on the sidelines.

“At this moment, there is no change in schedule. After talking to him late yesterday, the prime minister will go to Beijing as planned,” government spokesman Nattawut Saikuar told Reuters.

On Saturday, a Thai soldier died after slipping while on patrol and accidentally shooting himself, an army spokesman said.

The armies have agreed to conduct joint border patrols and to hold more talks on reducing their forces around the Hindu temple, a source of border tension for generations.

Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge commander who has ruled Cambodia for more than two decades, said on Friday the stand-off would not escalate into a wider and more serious conflict.

Some analysts link the eruption of fighting on the border to the political instability that has roiled Thailand for the past three years, and reached another climax this week when Somchai faced calls from his own generals to quit.

Army chief Anupong Paochinda’s televised interview on Thursday, in which he said Somchai should step down after bloody clashes between police and anti-government protesters last week, ignited fresh coup rumors two years after former premier Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a bloodless putsch.

But Somchai refused on Friday to resign or call a snap election, saying Anupong was expressing “one opinion”.

Somchai said an investigation of the Oct. 7 street clash, which killed two protesters and injured nearly 500, would be completed in 15 days and decide who was responsible.

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Thai PM: Thailand, Cambodia can settle border disputes through talks

BANGKOK, Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said Saturday he believes negotiations with the Cambodian government aimed at settling border disputes between the two neighboring countries are now possible and that there is no need to ask ASEAN for help in mediation.

Somchai made the remarks in Thailand's northeastern province of Si Sa Ket when he visited soldiers wounded in gun fight with Cambodia on Wednesday around disputed area near Preah Vihear temple, according to the Thai News Agency.

Somchai said Thailand and Cambodia shared the same idea that differences could be settled through negotiations as the two countries are neighbors.

Negotiations are expected to be held soon, said Somchai.

Thailand's Second Army Chief Lt-Gen. Wibulsak Neepal was scheduled to lead Thai delegates for bilateral talks at Cambodia's Siem Reap province next Wednesday and Thursday.

Somchai said that Thailand has never trespassed on other countries' territories and the two countries agreed to hold talks under the agreed-upon mechanisms to settle the border disputes.
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UN asks Thailand, Cambodia to expedite peace talks

United Nations (PTI): Expressing concern over the exchange of fire along the Thai-Cambodian border, the United Nations has asked both the neighbours to expedite talks to resolve differences.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed "deep concern" over Wednesday's gunfire between the soldiers of the two countries near a disputed ancient temple.

"He calls on both parties to exercise utmost restraint and urges them to expedite bilateral talks so that their differences can be resolved peacefully," Ban's spokesperson said.

Media reports say two people were killed during the exchange of fire between Thai and Cambodian soldiers near the Preah Vihear Temple, which was enlisted among the World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in July.

Since then the military forces have been build-up from both sides along the border. Ban had called for restraint earlier also.

The 11th century temple was recognised by the World Heritage Committee for "its natural situation on a promontory, with sheer cliffs overlooking a vast plain and mountain range; the quality of its architecture adapted to natural environment and religious function of the temple and finally the exceptional quality of the carved stone ornamentation of the temple."

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Thai-Cambodian border quiet as two sides meet

Bangkok (dpa) - The Thai government Thursday rebuffed a Cambodian claim that it was an unreliable and biased chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as the two sides are locked in a bitter border dispute.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said other members of the 10-country body would understand Thailand's restraint and probity on the issue.

Two Cambodian soldiers were reportedly killed in an exchange of gunfire and 10 Thai soldiers allegedly captured Wednesday afternoon after the two countries accused each other of stepping over previously agreed lines around a 900-year-old Hindu temple, ownership of which has been disputed for decades.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Wednesday that his country had been forced to bypass Asean in seeking an impartial mediator because Thailand was currently in the chair, which is held by rotation. He accused Thailand of provoking Wednesday's brief firefight about 3 kilometres from Preah Vihear temple.

Thailand's troubled government, under siege by opponents who accuse it of corruption and undermining the monarchy, is scheduled to host Asean's annual meeting in December.

Mr Hor Namhong hinted the association chair might be taken away from Thailand. Cambodia last month said Thailand's political instability and bias might make it an unsuitable chair.

Mr Tharit said that Thailand had overwhelming military superiority but had nevertheless acted in a sober and responsible manner. The 40-year-old organization surely did not expect its members to agree on everything, he added.

Foreign diplomats eyeing the spat said the Thai government is under intense pressure to flaunt its patriotic credentials to blunt the claims of its opponents who claim it is a puppet of the controversial exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Cambodian government is similarly steeped in prickly nationalist rhetoric under the rule of its authoritarian Prime Minister Hun Sen, the diplomats added.

The border conflict was calmed in August when both sides agreed to settle the matter through bilateral talks held by a joint border committee, but those talks have since stalled amid Thailand's chaotic domestic political situation.

The Thai foreign ministry this week urged Thais to leave Cambodia for fear of a repeat of riots in 2003 that saw the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh burnt down in a nationalist upsurge triggered by alleged insults made by a Thai actress about Cambodia.

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Thais claim Cambodia laying landmines

The Thai opposition Democrat Party says the cross border conflict is a direct result of the UN's granting Cambodia sole recognition over the temple site, whose main access route lies on the Thai side of the border. And Thai Foreign Ministry officials are very concerned over the recent discovery of new land mines - now banned by both countries - being uncovered inside Thai territory near the disputed area.

Presenter: Ron Corben
Speakers: Virachn Plasai is the director general of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department with the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Democrat Party Korn Chatikavanij, Deputy leader of the Democrat Party Korn Chatikavanij

CORBEN: Thai foreign ministry officials in a briefing to foreign diplomats Thursday raised the accusation of Cambodian troops laying landmines inside Thai territory. While some areas of the Thai Cambodian border are still to be demined - from the Cambodian war of the 1970s into the 1990s, the mines found after the injury to two unarmed Thai rangers were new.

The mines, Russian made PMN-2 anti-personnel mines used in wars from Afghanistan to Ethiopia, were laid in an area already cleared when the unarmed Thai rangers entered the region on October 6 - three days after a fire fight with Cambodian troops that left injured on both sides. Two Thai rangers survived but lost the lower part of their legs to the mines.

Virachn Plasai is the director general of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department with the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Virachn says the chief concern from all the recent developments was the discovery of laid landmines, in contravention of the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning landmines.

VIRACHN: What we find of grave concern is the discovery of these landmines newly planted, newly planted. So we believe that this is a grave threat for the international community as a whole because we believe that we had banned them; now they're back and used in a way that is quite expert and clever with a view to killing. So we think it's a grave concern we should alert the international community to work together in order to find who did it and take whatever measures we have to.

CORBEN: What do you see diplomatically as the next step for both countries?

VIRACHN: The next step for both countries is to let the steam out by having meetings of the military through the mechanisms on the Thai side - which is the regional border committee - on their side - the task force - that will help tremendously.

CORBEN: Going forward now is there an expectation that diplomatically things can return to normal?

VIRACHN: Oh yes I very much hope so. And I think, I personally believe it will return to normal. The only thing that worries me really is these mines - the land mines worry me most because it's something that is unthinkable that could happen in the year 2008. For the boundary question ... if our Cambodian friends are ready to be patient .. just let the democratic internal process take its course -- in due time we'll be able to sit down and negotiate meaningfully with them.

Thailand's opposition Democrat Party earlier this year led a fierce attack in parliament against the government of former Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej after the Cabinet agreed to allow Cambodia to make a sole application to the United Nations Education and Scientific Organization for the temple to be recognized as a world heritage site. The then foreign minister was then forced to resign after a Thai court found he had failed to present the agreement before parliament.

Deputy leader of the Democrat Party Korn Chatikavanij says part of the blame for this week's fighting lies with the Thai government itself

KORN: The whole incident is entirely unnecessary and it really emanates from the attempt by the Cambodian side to list the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site and we as a party had previously forewarned the World heritage Organization UNESCO.. That their participating in the proposal by Cambodia could actually lead to exactly what's happening. Once the temple site was accepted as a World heritage site with preconditions on the removal of military forces from the site it was always going lead to this because now Cambodia needs for the Thai military to withdraw and have it done by February otherwise the approval lapses.
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