Thai and Cambodian leaders hold talks on ASEAN sidelines

Thailand and Cambodia are set to hold rare high-level talks on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in the Philippines, as a fragile ceasefire continues to hold following deadly border clashes last year.

The meeting will take place in Cebu under the coordination of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., according to officials involved in the summit arrangements, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

The talks come after two major outbreaks of fighting along the long-disputed 817-kilometre border between Thailand and Cambodia, which left nearly 150 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands of residents.

Both sides had previously accused each other of triggering the clashes, which escalated into heavy artillery exchanges and air strikes before temporary ceasefires were reached through regional and international mediation efforts.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the meeting was intended to ensure a constructive atmosphere ahead of the ASEAN summit, while stressing that Thailand would defend its sovereignty and national interests during any discussions.

Cambodia’s foreign affairs officials welcomed the talks, saying they reflected ASEAN’s role in encouraging dialogue and reducing tensions between member states. Cambodia has also called for disputes to be resolved through international legal frameworks, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Tensions between the two countries have recently intensified after Thailand terminated a long-standing joint offshore energy agreement, a move that Cambodia has challenged.

Despite the current ceasefire, both countries continue to maintain military presence along disputed areas, and mutual accusations of violations have kept the situation sensitive as regional leaders push for a more durable resolution.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada