China, US seek Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire ahead of ASEAN meeting

BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH – China and the US are renewing their separate efforts to reach a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, ​days ahead of a special meeting of South-east Asian ministers on the border conflict, the worst fighting between the two in recent history.

Around 60 people have died and more than half a million have been displaced since hostilities resumed last week between the South-east Asian neighbours, ​shattering a ​ceasefire that

US President Donald Trump had brokered

in late July.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow on Dec 19, reiterating Washington’s concerns and urging Thailand to de-escalate the situation and return to the ceasefire deal, the State Department said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts on Dec 18 and said both had “expressed their desire to ease tensions and achieve a ceasefire”, China’s Foreign Ministry said.

“The intensity of this round of clashes has far exceeded previous incidents, and if it continues, it will benefit neither side and will undermine (ASEAN) unity,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that a

special envoy had visited both countries

in an effort to restore peace.

The Thai Foreign Ministry said Mr Sihasak had reaffirmed Bangkok’s position to Mr Rubio and “shared information on the way forward”, including joining the ASEAN meeting on Dec 22.

The ​ministry also confirmed the call with Mr Wang.

Cambodia has not commented on the overtures from Washington and Beijing.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn is also set to join the meeting in Kuala Lumpur, which would be the first face-to-face meeting between the ​governments since

the

fighting resumed on Dec 8

.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the ASEAN chair who helped broker the July ceasefire, said this week that he was cautiously optimistic about the meeting because the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia were both keen to reach an amicable solution.

Thailand and Cambodia accuse each other of moves that led to the breakdown of the July truce, which was expanded into a wider agreement to help settle the conflict in October.

The neighbours have long disputed sections of their 817km land border. The fighting now stretches from forested inland areas near Laos to coastal provinces.

Fighting continued on Dec 19 across the frontier, with Cambodia firing heavy weapons into some areas and Thailand retaliating, a Thai Defence Ministry spokesperson said.

Tensions has simmered since

Thailand in November suspended de-escalation measures

– including ​withdrawing troops and heavy weapons and freeing Cambodian prisoners of war – in response to the maiming of a Thai soldier by a landmine. Thailand says the mine was among several laid ​recently by Cambodia, which rejects the allegation.

Bangkok insists that any end to the current fighting must start with a cessation of hostilities by the other side and a clear ceasefire proposal, while Phnom Penh maintains that it is defending itself against military actions by its neighbour. REUTERS