2008-07-28 12:28:02 

BANGKOK, July 28 (Xinhua) — Thailand’s newly-appointed Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag left Bangkok Monday morning for Cambodia’s Siem Reap to hold a talks with his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong aimed at solving a diplomatic and military standoff between the two neighbors on the border dispute around the Preah Vihear temple.

    Before his departure, Tej said that the dispute not be easy to resolve, but he will do his best in his first task after officially taking office on Sunday.

    The minister said he believed that the atmosphere of the talks would be positive and constructive based on what has achieved from last week’s meeting between Thai Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit and Cambodian Defense Minister Gen Tea Banh.

    Tej had discussed with concerned top military officials before heading for Cambodia. On Sunday he also met with some foreign ministry officials concerning the dispute.

    Tej, a veteran diplomat, was appointed as the head of Thailand’s Foreign Affairs days after Noppadon Pattama resigned earlier this month over the Preah Vihear dispute which has arouse a wave of nationalist sentiment in the country.

    The two countries has been locked in a military standoff on the border areas between Kantharalak district, Si Sa Ket province in Thailand’s northeast and Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province where the 11th century Khmer-style Hindu temple Preah Vihear is located.