Thailand, Cambodia agree to maintain ceasefireーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS
After four days of talks, the two neighbors agreed on steps for maintaining their ceasefire. They said an ASEAN team led by Malaysia will coordinate and observe the peacekeeping effort. Thursday was the final day of the meeting in Koala Lumpur attended by defense ministry chiefs from the two countries. Malaysia mediated the truce negotiations joined by representatives of the United States and China. The two sides held separate press conferences after the talks. They said they’d agreed to keep communications open. If both our countries can resolve this issue swiftly, peace will return to our shared border area and our people will be able to resume their normal lives in peace once again. I wish to itinerate Cambodia determination to work constructively in good faith and in close cooperation with Thailand, Malaysia, other fellow AEAN member states. The two countries agreed to hold another round of talks within a month. Now we’re joined by NHK World Limong who’s in Koala Lumpur to cover the talks. So Lingfong, they talked for four days. tell us how the two sides reached this agreement. It was not easy. Tensions were running high even after the truth took effect last month. The primary discussions started on Monday and there was a steep mountain to climb. Negotiators met on and off throughout the day and talks sometimes continue late into the night. One stumbling block was the border observation team how it will function and who will take part. According to an ashan officials, Cambodia wanted the United States in China to join the monitors, but Thailand opposed that idea. Another sticky issue, Cambodian troops detained by Thai forces from Pain has been demanding their immediate return. Bangkok said that would only happen when a complete sessation of the fighting is agreed. The final agreement confirms the need to repatriate troops, but no time frame was given. So, you mentioned the tensions going into these talks. Does this ceasefire agreement pave the way for improved relations between the two countries? The first thing to keep an eye on is the observation team. We need to see if it can function as a peacekeeper and help it tensions on the border. Malaysia effort to mediate the conflict was a major factor. So a third party country could play a key role in the future of the Thai Cambodian relationship. But there is no question the fierce exchange of fire last month created a deep divide between the two neighbors. It was not just at the political level. The hostility have scarred people on both sides. The agreement alone may not be enough to heal those wounds. Remember also that the territorial dispute has not been resolved. The border remains contested and there is still a long way to go before we see a full resolution of that issues.
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to maintain a ceasefire on their disputed border, with ASEAN contributing a truce observation team. NHK World’s Lim Ling Fong explains how the tense negotiations unfolded at four days of talks in Kuala Lumpur, and the future of relations for the Southeast Asian neighbors. #asia #bangkok #thailand #cambodia #politics #security
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