VZCZCXRO9616
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0578 1991044
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 171044Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK IMMEDIATE 2576
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0085
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0618

C O N F I D E N T I A L PHNOM PENH 000578 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS PLEASE PASS TO US MISSION TO UNESCO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2010 
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNESCO SCUL MOPS PBTS TH CB
SUBJECT: PREAH VIHEAR: TENSIONS STILL HIGH AS FACE-OFF 
CONTINUES 
 
REF: BANGKOK 2167 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Piper Campbell, for reasons 1.5 
B and C 
 
¶1. (C)  Cambodian sources seemed increasingly anxious about 
continued tension along the Thai-Cambodian border July 17.  A 
Cambodian official told the Ambassador that the RGC is 
seeking a face-to-face meeting early next week.  A senior 
armed forces (RCAF) official text messaged the acting Defense 
Attache late in the day to say that Cambodia was responding 
to news of another 100 Thai military being deployed by 
sending "ten trucks of Cambodian gendarmes in full battle 
gear" to the area.  In the early evening, the Council of 
Ministers shared with diplomatic missions a copy of the text 
of a letter from PM Hun Sen to PM Samak Sundaravej (text 
produced below.)  Embassy has urged minimizing the number of 
troops sent to the area, noting that packing more people into 
an already tense atmosphere is likely to augment tensions; 
called on the RCAF to respond with professionalism and calm; 
and highlighted the importance of both countries finding a 
neighborly way out of this situation.  Embassies Phnom Penh 
and Bangkok have shared information during the course of the 
day. 
 
¶2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT OF HUN SEN TO SAMAK LETTER 
 
DEAR EXCELLENCY, 
 
FIRST. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE THANKS TO YOUR 
EXCELLENCY AND I WAS VERY PLEASED TO TALK WITH YOU ON THE 
TELEPHONE ON THE NIGHT OF 16 JULY 2008.  IT IS IMPORTANT THAT 
WE, REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR TWO STATES, HAVE STILL REAFFIRMED 
THE ONGOING AND GOOD NEIGHBORLY RELATIONS AND LONG-LASTING 
COOPERATION SO THAT WE COULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM THROUGH 
NEGOTIATIONS AS WELL AS SETTING THE MEETING SCHEDULE BETWEEN 
YOUR EXCELLENCY AND HIS EXCELLENCY TEA BANH (NOTE: CAMBODIAN 
MINISTER OF DEFENSE) ON 21 JULY 2008. 
 
DURING OUR TELEPHONE CONVERSATION, I ASKED YOUR EXCELLENCY TO 
ORDER THE WITHDRAWAL OF THAI TROOPS FROM THE AREA OF KEO 
SIKHA KIRI SVARA PAGODA (CALLED PREAH VIHEAR PAGODA) NEAR THE 
TEMPLE OF PREAH VIHEAR, SO THAT THE SITUATION COULD RETURN TO 
THE STATUS PRIOR TO 15 JULY 2008. 
 
UNFORTUNATELY, AS OF 17 JULY 2008 THE SITUATION IS WORSENING 
DUE TO A CONTINUING INCREASE IN THE NUMBERS OF THAI MILITARY 
INSIDE AND AROUND THE AREA OF KEO SIKHA KIRI SVARA PAGODA 
(CALLED PREAH VIHEAR PAGODA) AND THE PRESENCE OF THAI 
PROTESTERS. 
 
THE DETERIORATING SITUATION IS VERY BAD FOR THE RELATIONS 
BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES, AND, THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO 
ASK YOUR EXCELLENCY TO TAKE MEASURES TO EASE THE TENSIONS AND 
ORDER THE THAI TROOPS TO WITHDRAW FROM THE AREA OF KEO SIKHA 
KIRI SVARA PAGODA (CALLED PREAH VIHEAR PAGODA) NEAR PREAH 
VIHEAR TEMPLE.  THESE TROOPS HAVE ENCROACHED ON OUR TERRITORY 
ON 15 JULY 2008, AND HAVE SINCE INCREASED IN NUMBERS RATHER 
THAN WITHDRAWING. 
 
PLEASE ACCEPT, YOUR EXCELLENCY, THE ASSURANCES OF MY HIGHEST 
CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
SIGNED AND STAMPED 
 
HUN SEN 
PRIME MINISTER 
KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA 
 
17 JULY 
 
END TEXT. 
 
 
 
MUSSOMELI