Cambodia will re-deploy, not withdraw troops from Preah Vihear : Sukumpol

Defence Minister Gen Sukumpol Suvannathat on Friday asserted that Cambodia would just re-deploy not withdraw its troops near Preah Vihear Temple on July 18.

Defence Minister Gen Sukumpol Suvannathat on Friday asserted that Cambodia would just re-deploy not withdraw its troops near Preah Vihear Temple on July 18.

The minister was responding to news reports of Cambodia announcing that it would withdraw its troops near the Hindu-style border temple to comply with the World Court's last-year ruling to make the area a military-free zone.

"I believe that what Cambodia will do is to re-deploy and not withdraw the troops surrounding Preah Vihear Temple. Thailand will do the same," he said.

Cambodia announced Friday it will withdraw its military personnel from the area surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple on July 18 in compliance with the World Court's order.

"We will withdraw some 486 troops from the PDZ (Provisional Demilitarized Zone) next week to abide by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) order," Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong said in a press conference Friday.

He said the pullout is a sign to show the world that Cambodia is willing to comply with World Court's order.

On July 18 last year, the ICJ ordered Cambodia and Thailand to withdraw their military personnel from the 17.3 square kilometre PDZ and refrain from any armed activity directed at that zone.