US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to meet immediately to quickly work out a ceasefire as he sought to broker a peace deal between the two nations fighting along the border.
Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachi thanked Trump and said Bangkok “agrees in principle to have a ceasefire in place,” reported Reuters. He also said that the country “would like to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side.”
Phumtham made the above remarks in a Facebook post in response to a series of social media posts by Trump during a visit to Scotland. Trump said he had spoken to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Phumtham and warned that he would not make trade deals with either if the conflict is not resolved.
“Both Parties are looking for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace,” Trump wrote as he gave a blow-by-blow account of his diplomatic efforts.
Phumtham said he asked Trump to “convey to the Cambodian side that Thailand wants to convene a bilateral dialogue as soon as possible to bring forth measures and procedures for the ceasefire and the eventual peaceful resolution of the conflict.”
The worst border fighting between the two Southeast Asian neighbours in a decade left over 30 people killed and more than 1,30,000 people displaced.
Before Trump brokered the peace deal, the Thai-Cambodian border clashes continued for three days, with new flashpoints emerging as both sides said they had acted in self-defence in the dispute and called on the other side to cease fighting and start negotiations.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern about the clashes and urged both sides to “immediately agree to a ceasefire and to address any issues through dialogue,” said Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq in a statement.
Guterres “condemns the tragic and unnecessary loss of lives” and “remains available to assist in any efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the dispute,” Haq said.
