By Blessing Nweke
Senior diplomats from Southeast Asia are set to meet in Kuala Lumpur on Monday in a renewed effort to halt deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia that have killed at least 41 people and displaced nearly one million others.
The talks, convened by Malaysia in its role as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), aim to revive a ceasefire brokered in July by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim alongside U.S. President Donald Trump. Fighting resumed on December 8, marking the first major breakdown of the truce and prompting urgent regional and international mediation.
This will be the first face-to-face meeting between Thai and Cambodian officials since hostilities reignited. Both sides have accused the other of violating the July ceasefire, as artillery exchanges and Thai air strikes have escalated along the 800-kilometre (500-mile) shared border.
The dispute dates back more than a century, rooted in borders drawn during the French colonial occupation of Cambodia. While tensions have flared periodically, the latest violence has been among the most intense in years, forcing large-scale evacuations and straining humanitarian resources.
Prime Minister Anwar said he was “cautiously optimistic” about the Kuala Lumpur talks, stressing the need to prioritize peace over recriminations. “Our duty is to present the facts, but more importantly, to press upon them that it is imperative for them to secure peace,” he said last week.
Cambodia said the meeting aims to restore “peace, stability and good neighbourly relations,” reiterating its stance that disputes must be resolved through peaceful means. Thailand also described the talks as an important opportunity but maintained that Cambodia must first declare a ceasefire and commit to a “genuine and sustained” halt in fighting.
The United States and China are also actively involved in mediation efforts. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after speaking with Thailand’s foreign minister that he hoped a new ceasefire could be reached by Monday or Tuesday. China’s special envoy for Asian affairs, Deng Xijun, visited Phnom Penh last week, with Beijing pledging to continue playing a constructive role in facilitating dialogue.
Original article
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