PHNOM PENH, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday that recently imported tanks and armored personnel carriers was aimed at bolstering self-defense capacity.
"The new arrival of tanks is to strengthen self-defense capacity only. It is impossible that a country doesn't have weapons in hand," he said while delivering land titles to residents in Siem Reap province.
The premier did not unveil the origin of those tanks and armed personnel carriers, citing military confidentiality.
"Don't ask where we bought those tanks from. Don't want to know, it is a military confidentiality," he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Tea Banh said recently that more than 100 new tanks and armored personnel carriers arrived in Cambodia's Sihanoukville Autonomous Port on Oct. 30.
Cambodia has begun strengthening its military capacity since 2008 border conflict with Thailand.
The deadly conflict broke out between the two neighbors a week after the UNESCO approved Cambodia's bid to award Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.
Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers of territory next to the temple.
However, the tensions over border dispute has eased since the Pheu Thai Party led by sister of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra won a landslide victory in the general elections in July 2011.
Weekly Photos of China: Nov 5-11
Sina Microblog
Tencent Microblog
Feedback
RSS
