Vietnam welcomed an agreement on ceasefire and resumption of dialogues on border issues reached by Cambodia and Thailand , said a Vietnamese diplomat.

Vietnam also supported the role of ASEAN as well as effort of the ASEAN Chair in assisting both sides to peacefully solve disputes, Assistant to Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh said at an ASEAN unofficial meeting in Jakarta on Feb. 22.

Vinh, who headed the Vietnamese delegation to the meeting, stressed the importance of peace, stability in the region, reaffirming the wish that both sides would exert maximum restraint, carry out the ceasefire agreement and solve disputes by peaceful measures based on fundamental principles of international laws, the UN and ASEAN Charters and the Treaty for of Amity and Cooperation (TAC).

The regional unofficial meeting was convened to discuss regional and international issues of common concern, including recent border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand .

At the meeting, the foreign ministers of Cambodia and Thailand reported the latest developments at their border area, while the Indonesian FM stressed the efforts made by his country as ASEAN Chair in increasing contacts and assistance for both sides’ resettlement.

ASEAN FMs reminded their wish that Cambodia and Thailand would exert restraint and solve their disputes through peaceful measures based on the ASEAN Charter and TAC as well as the spirit of ASEAN solidarity for the benefit of both countries’ people and peace, stability in the region and the ASEAN Community.

The ministers also welcomed the two neighbours’ commitments to peacefully solve disputes and agreements on ceasefire, avoidance of armed clashes and early resumption of border negotiation mechanisms reached by the two countries’ military representatives on Feb. 19.

They also agreed that ASEAN needs to proactively participate in and promote the role in helping the two member countries peacefully solve disputes as well as supports the ASEAN Chair to further reconciliation efforts.

Based on the agreement of Cambodia and Thailand and consensus of the ASEAN member countries, the ASEAN Chair issued a statement on the meeting’s outcomes, stressing the two neighbours’ commitments to take peaceful measures to solve disputes without using forces as regulated in the TAC, the ASEAN and UN Charters.

The statement welcomes Cambodia’s and Thailand’s move to invite Indonesia in its capacity as ASEAN Chair to send observers to the disputed areas as well as the ASEAN Chair’s continued participation in helping both sides conciliate, resume bilateral negotiations to solve the issue friendly, the Indonesian Foreign Minister told reporters at the end of the meeting.

ASEAN countries spoke highly of the meeting’s results, considering it a manifestation of the spirit of solidarity, traditional amity of the grouping. They expressed wish for the two countries to continue to heighten the spirit of cooperation, construction and goodwill to implement their reached agreements./.