Thailand and Cambodia agree to ‘consolidate ceasefire’
Thailand and Cambodia plan to rebuild mutual trust and gradually solidify a ceasefire after weeks of border clashes, Beijing said in a statement issued to the two countries following talks in southwestern China.
Neighbors in Southeast Asia on Saturday ended weeks of violent conflict that left at least 101 people dead and displaced more than half a million with a second ceasefire since late October.
Top diplomats of Thailand and Cambodia traveled to China’s Yunnan province for trilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss the border situation on Sunday and Monday.
In a meeting with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts, Wang called the ceasefire “hard-won” and urged the two countries not to abandon the ceasefire or allow the war to restart.
“An important consensus has been reached,” Wang said, according to a statement released by his ministry.
According to a joint statement issued by the Chinese ministry, Thailand and Cambodia will “rebuild mutual political trust, achieve recovery in relations and “maintain regional peace”.
Thailand’s foreign ministry said it saw “the need to gradually build mutual trust and confidence between the two governments and the people.”
“Thailand reiterated that adjustments in relations should be made step by step,” he said.
It was also stated that Thailand “will consider the release of 18 soldiers after the 72-hour ceasefire observation period and will request Cambodia to ‘facilitate the return of Thais across the border’.”
Thai and Cambodian defense officials also attended the talks in China, and diplomats and defense officials from the two countries held a series of bilateral meetings.
Cambodian foreign minister Prak Sokhonn told local media there would be “open communication” between the foreign and defense ministers “to rebuild trust”.
“We maintain open communication to prevent small problems from escalating so that the relationship between the militaries can run smoothly,” he said.
The latest clashes began in early December after the breakdown of a ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in July to stop the previous round of fighting.
In a sign of the possible fragility of the ceasefire, the Thai military reported a mine incident in the border province of Sisaket early Monday.
It was stated that one member of the mine clearing team lost his left leg and injured his left eye.
Landmine incidents have been the catalyst for conflict between Thailand and Cambodia since July.
The Thai military stated that “evidence of the deployment of anti-personnel mines consistently shows that Cambodian forces continue to use such weapons”, calling it “a serious violation of international humanitarian principles and unacceptable to the global community”.
China has said it is ready to provide demining support.
In the statement made by the State Secretariat of Border Affairs of Cambodia, it was stated that a border determination meeting will be held in Siem Reap in the first week of January.
The Thai side has not yet approved such a meeting.
