Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to continue supporting the peace process between Thailand and Cambodia following Thailand’s announcement on November 10 that it was suspending all agreements with Cambodia after a landmine explosion along the border injured several of its personnel.
Malaysian Chief of Defence Force Gen Mohd Nizam Jaffar was quoted by local media as saying that Malaysia’s stance was to ensure that the peace process remained uninterrupted, given its importance to regional stability.
He said the process should continue without disruption, as any delay could risk a return to previous hostilities.
He said that Malaysia understands there will be a “cooling period” to allow both sides to assess the current situation. However, he hope the matter can be resolved as soon as possible, especially since the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) for Thailand is currently attending a meeting of Thailand’s National Security Council (NSC).
The official expressed his hope that a positive decision can be reached so that this peace process can continue and achieve its objectives.
Mohd Nizam said that although the issue was bilateral between Thailand and Cambodia, ASEAN member states also shared a collective responsibility to assist one another.
At present, he said, the AOT team was not allowed to enter the incident area, located about 40 kilometres from the border.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the same day affirmed that Malaysia would serve solely as a coordinator in the peace talks between Thailand and Cambodia, without imposing any conditions, in order to ensure the negotiations proceed smoothly.
Under the peace agreement reached between Cambodia and Thailand in late October, the two countries agreed on key mechanisms to de-escalate tensions, including an initial action plan for the withdrawal of heavy and destructive weapons to each side’s regular military bases. They also consented to the repatriation of troops and to cooperation in mine clearance and the suppression of online scam networks operating in border areas./.
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The meeting followed the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Coordinating Task Force’s decision and was conducted under the observation of the ASEAN Observer Team, which was tasked with monitoring and verifying the process.
