VOA标准英语2008年-Cambodian Official Says 'Little Hope' for Fast

The border standoff between Cambodia and Thailand remains¹ tense ahead of high-level talks on Monday. A commander on the Cambodian side expressed doubts that the talks will lead to a resolution of the dispute over ownership of an ancient temple complex. Liam Cochrane reports from Preah Vihear temple, on the Cambodia-Thai border.
　
Cambodian soldier stand guards at the Thai border in Cambodian Preah Vihear province, some 543 kilometers north of Phnom Penh, 20 Jul 2008

Thai and Cambodian soldiers sit side-by-side on the Cambodian road that leads to the disputed ruins of Preah Vihear temple.

Hundreds of Cambodian soldiers and military police patrolled the area around the temple, while Thai soldiers stayed close to the barbed wire that marks the jungle border, setting up small camps on the Cambodian side.

The two forces have faced off for several days, after three Thai protesters were detained for illegally crossing the closed border, prompting Thai forces to cross after them.

The 900-year-old Hindu temple was recently given World Heritage status, renewing a decades-old dispute over who owns the temple.

Brigadier Chea Keo is the deputy commander of the Cambodian Military Region. Sitting on a cliff overlooking Thailand, he said he had orders to be patient, but expressed doubts that talks Monday between the two countries' defense² ministers would yield results.

He says, "We have little hope for the meeting tomorrow, because the Thai government sent a letter to Prime Minister Hun Sen saying that the places occupied [by Thai soldiers] are Thai territory."

Brigadier Chea Keo said around 300 Thai troops remained around a modern temple just below the ancient ruins of Preah Vihear temple. He said a further 200 Thai soldiers occupied small camps along the Cambodian side of the border.

Cambodian officials would not say how many troops they had gathered in the area, but one soldier said 500 former Khmer Rouge³ fighters had been brought in from the northwest, and hundreds of military personnel were visible.

　

 

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 rouge   

n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红

参考例句：

• Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面颊上涂胭脂，使脸更漂亮。
• She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。