Hanoi (VNA) – The Republic of Korea (RoK) on December 23 urged Cambodia and Thailand to hold talks to resolve escalating border conflict, welcoming efforts by neighbouring countries to ease tensions.
"We appreciate ASEAN's efforts to de-escalate tensions and seek a peaceful resolution to the situation," foreign ministry spokesperson Park Il said in a commentary as reported by Yonhap news agency.
The RoK government urges Cambodia and Thailand to resolve the situation peacefully through dialogue at the earliest date possible, he said.
Park added that Seoul welcomes the convening of the special foreign ministers' meeting among the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which both Cambodia and Thailand are members, to address the situation.
At the meeting of ASEAN’s top diplomats held on December 22, Cambodia and Thailand agreed to hold working sessions between defence officials to discuss the restoration of a ceasefire. This is seen as an important step towards preventing further conflict and stabilising the situation.
Previously, in July, ASEAN and the US brokered a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, which was later reinforced by renewed commitments made in Malaysia in October in the presence of US President Donald Trump. Under the agreement, the two ASEAN members pledged to clear landmines and withdraw troops and heavy weapons from their shared border area. However, fighting subsequently continued, with both sides repeatedly accusing each other of breaching the agreement./.
Official affirms Vietnam's readiness to help Cambodia, Thailand stabilise relations
Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang underscored the importance of promoting ASEAN's solidarity and collective and responsible action in addressing issues related to regional peace and security.
