Cambodia, Laos draw back troops in bid to avoid escalation at border

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Mech Dara and Shaun Turton

 

After a two-hour meeting, Cambodian and Lao provincial military and border officials yesterday reached an agreement to draw back forces from two undemarcated zones where the building of outposts had recently sparked military stand-offs, according to a general in the area.

 

Svay Nhan, the Stung Treng provincial military commander, said the “understanding” was reached yesterday after a joint delegation from the countries inspected the sites in Thala Barivat district’s O’Svay commune and nearby Samaki commune in Stung Treng district.

 

The sites, known as Dong Kralor Chas in Samaki and Deum Lvea in O’Svay, are among three undemarcated “white zones” that have sparked border frictions recently, with Laos’s attempts to upgrade a military outpost in the former and plans by Cambodian police to do the same in the latter provoking stand-offs between forces.

 

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