Thailand-Cambodia talks on positive track, says Malaysian defence chief
Kuala Lumpur: Thailand and Cambodia have expressed strong commitments to end conflict in secretariat-level discussions, Malaysia’s Chief of Defence Forces General Mohd Nizam Jaffar said.
The talks, scheduled from August 4 to 6 ahead of an extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) meeting on August 7, will also cover the terms of reference for establishing an ASEAN defense attaché monitoring team, Mohd Nizam said on Monday.
“They (Thailand and Cambodia) are now discussing the prerequisites for the team’s deployment. If all goes well, we are expecting a very positive resolution by this Thursday,” he told reporters after meeting with both secretariat heads.
He said that Malaysia is only acting as a facilitator ahead of the extraordinary meeting, Xinhua news agecny reported.
Meanwhile, a Cambodian defence ministry spokesperson said on Monday that Thai soldiers entered Cambodian territory, deploying barbed wire, despite strong objection from Cambodian armed forces.
Defense Ministry’s Undersecretary of State and spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata said this act constitutes a flagrant violation of a ceasefire and poses a grave threat to peace and security along the border between the two countries, as well as to the wider region.
“Cambodia calls on the international community, particularly partner countries that have worked tirelessly to help achieve this hard-won ceasefire and wish to see it fully and effectively implemented, to demand that Thailand immediately stop its aggressive actions and strictly respect international law, especially Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Socheata added.
In response to Cambodia’s accusation that Thai military personnel entered the area referred to as “An Sae,” which Cambodia claims as its territory, the Thai Army on Monday clarified through the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the area refers to “Chong An Ma area,” which lies within Thailand’s territory.
The Thai Army said that Cambodia has previously encroached upon this area by constructing unauthorized structures and settlements. The Thai side has issued multiple formal protests regarding these violations, none of which have elicited corrective action from Cambodia.
In recent operations, Thai forces have re-established a full control over Chong An Ma. Measures were being taken to reinforce security and restore order, including the clearance of landmines, said the Thai Army.
On July 24, armed clashes broke out between soldiers of Cambodia and Thailand along their disputed border. The two countries agreed on a ceasefire in the afternoon of July 28, taking effect at the midnight of the same day.