Prime MInister Anwar Ibrahim in a phone call to US president Donald Trump about the Cambodia-Thailand dispute. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says he has informed Donald Trump about Cambodia and Thailand’s commitment to resolving border tensions during a discussion with the US president today.
In a Facebook post, Anwar said he told Trump about Cambodia’s and Thailand’s willingness to continue choosing “dialogue and diplomacy” following the latest round of hostilities between the neighbouring countries.
“I emphasised that both countries have withdrawn their military forces from the border in line with the approach agreed under the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord,” Anwar said.
“I welcome Trump’s active role in reaching out to the prime ministers of Cambodia and Thailand to ensure that any differences are addressed in an orderly manner… to safeguard regional stability and harmony.”
Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan yesterday said Malaysia is prepared to host talks between Thailand and Cambodia following renewed tensions along their shared border.
Cambodia and Thailand traded accusations following fresh clashes along their border on Wednesday after Bangkok said it was pausing the implementation of a US-backed peace deal, AFP reported.
Five days of hostilities erupted between Thailand and Cambodia earlier this year, killing 43 people and displacing around 300,000 before a truce backed by Trump cooled tensions.
Thailand on Monday paused implementation of a deal to wind down hostilities, claiming a blast from a newly laid landmine had wounded four of its soldiers.
In a statement on Tuesday, Cambodia’s defence ministry denied it had laid new landmines and urged Thailand to avoid patrols in old minefield areas.
The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back more than a century to a disagreement over the colonial-era mapping of their border.
Tensions have long flared around a group of border temples which both sides claim as their own.
The two sides agreed to a truce late July after intervention by Trump, as well as Chinese diplomats and Anwar.
