Thai and Cambodian leaders head to Malaysia for peace talks
Thailand's government said it was attending talks arranged by Malaysia in its role as chair of the regional Asean bloc, while Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the talks were co-organised by the US with the participation of China. US secretary of state Marco Rubio said state department officials were in Malaysia to assist peace efforts after President Donald Trump had earlier said he thought the two leaders wanted to settle the conflict.
"We want the conflict to end as soon as possible," Rubio said in statement released late on Sunday in the US and early Monday in Asia.
"State department officials are on the ground in Malaysia to assist the peace efforts."
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have intensified since the killing in late May of a Cambodian soldier during a brief border skirmish. Border troops on the two sides were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand's fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse.
Hostilities broke out last Thursday and have escalated into the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours in more than a decade.
The death toll has risen above 30, including more than 20 civilians, while authorities report more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from border areas.
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