Trump says Thailand and Cambodia agree to hold immediate ceasefire talks

SISAKET, Thailand/WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said on July 26 that the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand had agreed to meet immediately to quickly work out a ceasefire, as he sought to broker peace after three days of fighting along their border.

Thailand’s acting prime minister, Mr Phumtham Wechayachai, thanked Mr Trump and said Thailand “agrees in principle to have a ceasefire in place” but “would like to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side”.

Mr Phumtham was responding in a Facebook post to a series of social media posts by Mr Trump during

a visit to Scotland.

Mr Trump said he had spoken to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Mr Phumtham and warned them that he would not make trade deals with either if the border conflict continued.

“Both Parties are looking for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace,” Mr Trump wrote, as he gave a blow-by-blow account of his diplomatic efforts.

Mr Phumtham also said he had asked Mr Trump “to convey to the Cambodian side that Thailand wants to convene a bilateral dialogue as soon as possible to bring forth measures and procedures for the ceasefire and the eventual peaceful resolution of the conflict”.

More than 30 people have been killed and more than 130,000 people displaced in

the worst fighting between the South-east Asian neighbours

in 13 years.

Before Mr Trump spoke to the two leaders, clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border

persisted into a third day

and new flashpoints emerged as both sides said they had acted in self-defence in the border dispute and called on the other to cease fighting and start negotiations.

There were clashes early on July 26, both sides said, in the neighbouring Thai coastal province of Trat and Cambodia’s Pursat Province, a new front more than 100km from other conflict points along the long-contested border.

The countries have faced off since

the killing of a Cambodian soldier

late in May during a brief skirmish. Troops on both sides of the border were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand’s fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse.

As of July 26, Thailand said seven soldiers and 13 civilians had been killed, while Cambodia said five soldiers and eight civilians had been killed.

Mr Trump’s direct involvement on July 26 followed US calls for restraint on both sides. He said he spoke to each leader and relayed messages back and forth.

“They have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!,” Mr Trump wrote, saying both countries wanted to get back to the “Trading Table”.

He has sought to reach

separate deals with dozens of countries

in response to his announcement of wide-ranging tariffs on imports to the US.

“When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!” Mr Trump said.

He offered no details on the ceasefire negotiations he said Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to hold.

The White House did not immediately respond to questions on the timing and venue for talks and the Thai and Cambodian embassies in Washington also did not immediately respond.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the chair of the Asean regional bloc, said he would continue to push a ceasefire proposal. Cambodia has backed Mr Anwar’s plan, while Thailand has said it agreed with it in principle.

“There is still some exchange of fire,” Mr Anwar said, according to state news agency Bernama. He said he had asked his foreign minister “to liaise with the respective foreign ministries and, if possible, I will continue engaging with them myself – at least to halt the fighting”.

Security Council meeting

Thailand’s ambassador to the United Nations told a Security Council meeting on July 25 that soldiers had been injured by newly planted land mines in Thai territory on two occasions since mid-July - claims Cambodia has strongly denied - and said Cambodia had then launched attacks on

the morning of July 24.

“Thailand urges Cambodia to immediately cease all hostilities and acts of aggression, and resume dialogue in good faith,” Mr Cherdchai Chaivaivid told the council, in remarks released to the media.

In a statement on July 26, Cambodia’s defence ministry said Thailand had launched “a deliberate, unprovoked, and unlawful military attack” and was mobilising troops and military equipment on the border.

“These deliberate military preparations reveal Thailand’s intent to expand its aggression and further violate Cambodia’s sovereignty,” it said.

Cambodia called for the international community to “condemn Thailand’s aggression in the strongest terms” and to prevent an expansion of its military activities, while Bangkok reiterated it wanted to resolve the dispute bilaterally.

Thailand and Cambodia have bickered for decades over jurisdiction of various undemarcated points along their 817km land border, with ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th century Preah Vihear central to the disputes.

Preah Vihear was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, but tension escalated in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list it as a Unesco World Heritage site.

That led to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths.

Cambodia in June said it had asked the court to resolve its disputes with Thailand, which says it has never recognised the court’s jurisdiction and prefers a bilateral approach. REUTERS