Southeast Asian foreign ministers met in Malaysia on Monday to try to restore a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia after two weeks of fierce fighting that has killed at least 60 people and displaced more than half a million.
Axar.az informs, citing Reuters, the ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will seek to salvage a truce first brokered by ASEAN chair Malaysia and US President Donald Trump after a previous round of border clashes in July, their worst conflict in recent history.
Thailand and Cambodia’s top diplomats attended the gathering in Kuala Lumpur, the first face-to-face meeting involving the two governments since the fighting resumed on December 8, as Malaysia urged the bloc to play a more forceful role in halting the conflict.
“It is my hope that this special meeting will renew our efforts for a return to stability in the affected areas. ASEAN must do whatever is necessary to maintain regional peace and stability,” Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said in opening remarks to ministers.
“Our goal goes beyond de-escalating the tension. We must intensify trust-building among the conflicting parties and provide the horizons for dialogue despite the prevailing differences.”