Thailand, Cambodia to hold peace talks after border clashes
Bangkok announced on Sunday that acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet will meet in Kuala Lumpur for talks mediated by Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim, who chairs the ASEAN regional bloc of which Thailand and Cambodia are members. Cambodia has not commented on the planned talks, which are due to begin at 3pm (0700 GMT).
US President Donald Trump, who spoke to both leaders late Saturday, said they had agreed to 'quickly work out' a ceasefire. Trump has threatened both nations with eye-watering levies in his global tariff blitz unless they agree to independent trade deals. 'When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!' he wrote on social media.
Fresh artillery clashes erupted on Sunday morning near two long-contested ancient temples in the frontier region between northern Cambodia and northeast Thailand which has seen the bulk of the fighting.
Cambodian defense ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata said Thai forces began attacking areas around the temples at 4.50 am. 'We rushed to leave the house this morning,' said 61-year-old Thai border resident Maefah, rearranging bin bags of her family's belongings in the back of a truck stopped at a petrol station in Surin province.
'All of my neighbors have already left. And we didn't feel safe to stay any longer,' she said, declining to give her surname. The regular thump of artillery rattled windows in the Cambodian town of Samraong, around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the front line, AFP journalists said. Thai army deputy spokesman Ritcha Suksuwanon said Cambodian forces began firing artillery around 4:00 am as the two sides battled for control of strategic positions. With the conflict enflaming nationalist sentiments, Thailand issued a warning to its own citizens to 'refrain from any kind of violence, whether in speech or action' against Cambodian migrants living in the country.
Cambodia's Hun Manet on Sunday said his country 'agreed with the proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two armed forces'. After Trump's call, Phumtham said he had agreed in principle to enter a ceasefire and start talks. But on Sunday each side blamed the other again for undermining peace efforts. The Thai foreign ministry accused Cambodian forces of firing shells into civilian homes in Surin province. 'Any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached while Cambodia is severely lacking in good faith,' the ministry said. — AFP
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