Cambodia says immediate ceasefire purpose of talks; Thailand questions its sincerity
Monday's talks to end the deadliest fighting in more than a decade between the Southeast Asian neighbours are being hosted by Malaysia, the chair of the regional ASEAN bloc. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the talks were co-organised by the United States, and that China would also take part in them.
Both Thailand and Cambodia accuse the other of starting the hostilities last week and then escalating them. On Monday, officials from both countries said clashes along the disputed border were ongoing ahead of the talks later in the day.
"We are not confident in Cambodia, their actions so far have reflected insincerity in solving the problem," acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters ahead of his departure for Kuala Lumpur.
"Cambodia has violated international law, but everybody wants to see peace. Nobody wants to see violence that affects civilians."
Cambodia has strongly denied Thai accusations it has fired at civilian targets, and has instead said that Thailand has put innocent lives at risk. It has called for the international community to condemn Thailand's aggression against it.
"The purpose of this meeting is to achieve an immediate 'ceasefire', initiated by President Donald Trump and agreed to by the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Thailand," Hun Manet said in a post on X as he departed for the talks.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said State Department officials would assist the peace efforts, after President Donald Trump had earlier said that he thought both leaders wanted to settle the conflict.
The tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have intensified since the killing in late May of a Cambodian soldier during a brief skirmish. Border troops on both sides were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand's fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had proposed ceasefire talks soon after the border dispute erupted into conflict on Thursday, and China and the United States also offered to assist in negotiations.
Anwar said he expected to chair the negotiations after being asked by the two governments to try to find a peace settlement, state media agency Bernama reported on Sunday.
"So, I'm discussing the parameters, the conditions, but what is important is (an) immediate ceasefire," Anwar said.
Thailand and Cambodia have bickered for decades over undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border, with ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th century Preah Vihear central to the disputes.
Preah Vihear was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, but the situation worsened in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list it as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Skirmishes over several years brought at least a dozen deaths.
Cambodia said in June it had asked the court to resolve its disputes with Thailand. Bangkok says it has never recognised the court's jurisdiction and prefers a bilateral approach.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire comes into effect as opposing military chiefs to meet
A truce agreement between Thailand and Cambodia came into effect in the early hours of Tuesday, testing whether it will halt the worst fighting between the neighbouring countries in more than a decade. Both sides agreed an 'unconditional' ceasefire would start at midnight on Monday to end battling over a smattering of ancient temples in disputed zones along their 800km (500-mile) border. In Cambodia's Samraong city – 20km from the border – an AFP journalist heard a steady drumbeat of artillery strikes throughout Monday before blast sounds stopped in the 30 minutes leading up to midnight. Jets, rockets and artillery have killed at least 38 people since Thursday and displaced nearly 300,000 more – prompting intervention at the weekend from Donald Trump, who has taken credit for the ceasefire deal. The US president has threatened both countries with high tariffs and warned that trade negotiations would be paused until the fighting stopped. The peace deal was set to see military commanders from both sides meet at 7am local time (0000 GMT), before a cross-border committee is convened in Cambodia to further salve tensions on 4 August. 'When I heard the news I was so happy because I miss my home and my belongings that I left behind,' Phean Neth, 45, said on Monday evening at a sprawling camp for Cambodian evacuees on a temple site away from the fighting. 'I am so happy that I can't describe it.' A joint statement from both countries as well as Malaysia, which hosted the peace talks, said the ceasefire was 'a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security'. A spokesperson for UN secretary general, António Guterres, said on Monday evening that 'he urges both countries to respect the agreement fully and to create an environment conducive to addressing longstanding issues and achieving lasting peace'. The US state department said its officials had been 'on the ground' to shepherd peace talks. The joint statement said China also had 'active participation' in the talks, hosted by the Malaysian prime minister and chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) regional bloc, Anwar Ibrahim, in his country's administrative capital, Putrajaya. Cambodia's prime minister, Hun Manet, thanked Trump for his 'decisive' support, while his counterpart, Thailand's acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai, said it should be 'carried out in good faith by both sides'. On the eve of the talks, Thailand's military said Cambodian snipers were camped in one of the contested temples, and accused Phnom Penh of surging troops along the border and hammering Thai territory with rockets. It said there was fighting at seven areas in the rural region, marked by hills surrounded by jungle and fields where locals farm rubber and rice. The Thai king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, marked his 73rd birthday on Monday but a notice in the country's Royal Gazette said public celebrations scheduled for Bangkok's Grand Palace had been cancelled amid the strife. With reporting from Rebecca Ratcliffe and Agence France-Presse
ITV News
5 hours ago
- ITV News
Thailand and Cambodia agree to immediate and unconditional ceasefire after days of border clashes
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Telegraph
6 hours ago
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Vladimir Putin has finally run out of time
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