Thai troops pull out from Veal Entry

Hun Sen, who launched an ultimatum to Thai troops to leave the area today before noon, said that the control of this territory abutting Preah Vihear temple as an “issue of life and death.”Thai troops pulled out at 10:20 AM from Veal Entry (Eagle Field), a zone located between the mountain and the disputed pagoda, a military source indicated at noon time today, following Hun Sen’s ultimatum launched yesterday and reiterated this morning on TV.Yim Pim, an officer in charge of an army unit in Veal Entry, confirmed this withdrawal to “Cambodge Soir Hebdo.”“We consider the sovereignty over Veal Entry as a strategic point of life and death,” Hun Sen threatened on Tuesday morning. “To lose this spot means the loss of the control of Preah Vihear. We will keep Veal Entry, whatever the cost will be.”“A spokesman from the Bangkok government said that this area belonged to them,” Hun Sen said in anger. “How could this be? They just entered the area yesterday!”Reacting to the “concern” expressed by Singapore, chair of ASEAN, Hun Sen declared: “We are more worried than they are, this is our territory that was violated.”“If Thailand considers Cambodia as being negligible, let them say so!” Hun Sen added. “However, the ants can also disturb the sleeping elephant. They can step on my toe, but not on my head.”