The urgent meeting of the General Border Committee include Thai Supreme Commander Boonsang Niempradit and Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh.

Earlier, two sides agreed to temporarily suspend all armed forces movements along the Thai-Cambodian border between the Thai province of Si Sa Ket and the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear. However, the military officials would remain stationed at strategic points pending the result of the GBC meeting to be held on Monday.

More than 500 Thai troops and over 1,000 Cambodian soldiers are stationed around a small Buddhist pagoda on the slope of a mountain leading to the ruins of the 11^th century Preah Vihear temple.

Cambodia has sent letters about the standoff to the United Nations, according to the Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith. “After the Monday negotiation, we will decide what the next step is,” he said.

The conflict over territory surrounding the ancient Preah Vihear Hindu temple escalated when UNESCO recently approved Cambodia’s application to have the complex named a World Heritage site.

The dispute began after three Thai protesters were arrested on July 15 for jumping  fence to reach the temple. The standoff nearly erupted into violence on July 17, when witnesses said troops pointed their guns at each other at the pagoda after 50 Cambodian troops entered the compound to protect food supplies for dozens of monks.