KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S foreign minister will travel to Cambodia and Thailand next week to express concern over a border dispute that has led to fears of outright war between the two countries, officials said on Friday.
Foreign Minister Rais Yatim will meet with the Cambodian and Thai leaders to submit a letter of concern from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi urging them to resolve the spat diplomatically, an aide to Dr Rais said.
Fighting erupted between the Southeast Asian neighbors over land surrounding the centuries-old Preah Vihear temple.
'The Cabinet has agreed that the foreign minister should go in the spirit of goodwill of Asean to express hopes that the border issue will be resolved through the negotiating table,' said the aide, who declined to be named citing policy.
No further details were immediately available.
The aide said Dr Rais had talked to Dr Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations or Asean, to offer Malaysia's help.
Dr Rais reportedly said Dr Surin also had asked one or two other countries to help resolve the conflict.
'As a friendly neighbour to both countries, we must do all we can to prevent the situation from getting out of hand,' Dr Rais was quoted as saying Thursday by national news agency Bernama. His aide confirmed the comments.
But Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said it was premature to involve a third party in the present conflict.
'I am thankful for the good intention ... to help find a solution, but I think it is not yet the time (for such an intervention) because Cambodia and Thailand have already agreed to try to settle the problem through the existing bilateral mechanisms,' he told reporters in Cambodia. -- AP