KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 – The United States (US) has commended Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership in brokering the immediate and unconditional ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US applauds the ceasefire declaration between Cambodia and Thailand announced on Monday.
“We are grateful to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his leadership and for hosting the ceasefire talks,” he said in a statement released by the State Department late on Monday.
Rubio urged Thailand and Cambodia to fully honour their commitments to end the conflict and prevent further escalation along their disputed border.
“President Donald Trump and I are committed to an immediate cessation of violence and expect the governments of Cambodia and Thailand to fully honour their commitments to end this conflict.”
Rubio said the US will remain committed to and engaged in the US-Malaysia-organised process to end the conflict.
“We urge all parties to follow through on their commitments,” he added.
Earlier, a special meeting, brokered by Anwar in his capacity as the current ASEAN Chair, was held at the official residence of the Malaysian prime minister – the Seri Perdana Complex – in Putrajaya.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai attended the special meeting, which began at 3 pm.
This is their first face-to-face encounter since tensions erupted between the two neighbours on July 24. The meeting lasted nearly two and a half hours.
Also in attendance were United States (US) Ambassador to Malaysia, Edgard Kagan, and Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia, Ouyang Yujing. The US was a co-organiser of the meeting, while China was an observer to promote a peaceful resolution to the ongoing situation. Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan also present.
At a joint press conference after the meeting, Anwar announced that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire amid rising tensions along their disputed border.
The two Southeast Asian neighbours have a long history of diplomatic rows over an 817-kilometre undemarcated stretch of their shared border.
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have been simmering since May 28 following a skirmish between their troops near the disputed Preah Vihear border area, which claimed the life of a Cambodian soldier.
