Thailand and Cambodia are preparing for sideline discussions at the ASEAN summit in the Philippines, amid the fragile border situation despite both sides maintaining a ceasefire agreement.
May 7, 2569 at 14.35:XNUMX a.m., Reuters reported that The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia are set to meet in the Philippines for discussions at the ASEAN summit. Amid the tense atmosphere following last year's violent clashes along the border, while both sides currently maintain a ceasefire agreement, there is still no formal plan to resolve the dispute.
Military forces from both countries remain tense along the long, disputed 817-kilometer border following two clashes in July and December. The situation escalated from small skirmishes to heavy airstrikes, artillery fire, and rocket attacks.
The Philippine government, which is hosting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Cebu, said the discussions will be overseen by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ahead of the ASEAN summit on Friday.
side Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of Thailand Speaking to reporters in Bangkok, he said both sides wanted to create an atmosphere conducive to the ASEAN meeting, adding that: "That's why they want us to meet." However, Mr. Anutin did not disclose details of the issues to be discussed, but affirmed that he would fully protect Thailand's interests.
"I must stand by the principle that any negotiations or discussions must be beneficial to the country, protect Thai sovereignty, and safeguard the interests of the people," said Mr. Anutin.
The two previous rounds of fighting have resulted in nearly 150 deaths and at least 300,000 people displaced, with both countries blaming each other for initiating the violence. The first clashes ended in July following intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump, who pushed for a troop withdrawal agreement signed in October during an ASEAN summit.
However, Trump was unable to prevent a second round of clashes, despite having claimed he had helped maintain the ceasefire. The latest fighting continued for 20 days before both sides later reached a ceasefire agreement.
Although there is currently no fighting, Cambodia continues to accuse Thailand of violating the ceasefire agreement and occupying disputed areas along the border, which Thailand denies.
Kong Phok, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia. They said that this trilateral meeting reflects ASEAN's desire to play a role in resolving conflicts, adding that: "It is essential that both sides refrain from the use of force or the threat of force, and find solutions within international law and existing agreements."
This meeting comes amidst heightened tensions in relations between the two countries, following Thailand's announcement on Tuesday of the cancellation of a joint offshore energy exploration agreement with Cambodia, an agreement that had been in place for over 25 years.
Cambodia has stated that it may have no choice but to use the mechanisms under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to formally resolve the issue of overlapping territorial claims in the Gulf of Thailand.
refer : reuters.com
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