Thai-Cambodia Conflict: Peace Talks To Start In Malaysia Amid US Mediation
The talks are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. local time (0700 GMT), with Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai leading the Thai delegation, the government announced in a statement on Sunday night.
In a notable development, the United States has confirmed its officials are already on the ground in Malaysia to support the peace initiative, as leaders from both nations prepare to meet.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that President Donald Trump and he have been in contact with their counterparts in both countries and are closely monitoring the situation.
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have been rising since the late-May killing of a Cambodian soldier in a border skirmish. Clashes resumed on July 24, escalating quickly into the most severe conflict between the two Southeast Asian neighbors in more than a decade.
Key Top Points on the Thailand-Cambodia Clashes:
1. Thai Acting PM Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian PM Hun Manet will meet on Monday for high-level talks, seeking to end the deadliest confrontation between the two nations in over ten years. The meeting follows US President Donald Trump's reported use of tariff threats to push for a ceasefire.
2. This will be the first formal round of talks since the clashes reignited on July 24, and comes within 48 hours of Trump's announcement that both leaders had agreed to "quickly work out a ceasefire." Trump expressed confidence in the process, calling it "an easy one."
3. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also held conversations with the foreign ministers of both Thailand and Cambodia, urging immediate de-escalation and reaffirming US support for the peace process. Despite diplomatic outreach, both countries accused each other on Sunday of launching heavy artillery strikes.
4. UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday voiced deep concern over the violence along the Thailand-Cambodia border. He called for an immediate ceasefire and encouraged both sides to resolve their issues through peaceful dialogue.
5. The conflict, which escalated after months of simmering border tensions, has so far killed over 30 people and displaced more than 150,000 civilians on both sides of the border.
6. Thailand has reported 22 deaths, including eight soldiers, while Cambodia has confirmed 13 fatalities, including five military personnel.
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