Trump says Thailand, Cambodia agree to hold immediate ceasefire talks
A Cambodian military personnel stands on a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, around 40 km from the disputed Ta Moan Thom temple, after Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on Friday. [Photo/Agencies]
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand had agreed to meet immediately to quickly work out a ceasefire, as he sought to broker peace after three days of fighting along their border.
Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai thanked Trump and said Thailand "agrees in principle to have a ceasefire in place" but "would like to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side."
Phumtham was responding in a Facebook post 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 them that he would not make trade deals with either if the border conflict continued.
"Both parties are looking for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace," Trump wrote.
Phumtham also said he had 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".
More than 30 people have been killed and more than 130,000 people displaced in the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbors in 13 years.
Before Trump spoke to the two leaders, clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border persisted into a third day, and new flashpoints emerged as both sides said they had acted in self-defense in the border dispute and called on the other to cease fighting and start negotiations.
Trump offered no details on the ceasefire negotiations he said Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to hold.
"They have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!" Trump wrote, saying both countries wanted to get back to the "trading table."
Aside from the U.S., others are also mediating for a peace resolution.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc, said he would continue to push a ceasefire proposal. Cambodia has backed Anwar's plan, while Thailand has said it agreed with it in principle.
Security Council meeting
The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday afternoon at the request of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. During the meeting, both expressed a willingness to resolve the conflict through peaceful means, with Cambodia calling for an unconditional ceasefire and Thailand urging the other side to "end hostilities and resume dialogue."
"Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire, unconditionally, and we also call for the peaceful solution of the (border) dispute," Cambodia's UN ambassador Chhea Keo told reporters after a closed-door meeting of the Security Council.
Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Thailand's ambassador and permanent representative to the UN, told the Security Council on Friday that Thailand categorically rejects the use of force as a means to resolve international disputes, while remaining firmly committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes under the UN Charter, the Thai Foreign Ministry said.
He said that Thailand has actively engaged Cambodia over the past two months through multiple bilateral mechanisms, but Cambodia has deliberately avoided meaningful dialogue and instead sought to internationalize the issue to serve its own political objectives.
"Thailand urges Cambodia to immediately cease all hostilities and acts of aggression, and resume dialogue in good faith," said Cherdchai.