Cambodia, Thailand agree to ceasefire with ASEAN as observers
Malaysian state media Bernama said that an interim observer team comprising defence attaches from ASEAN countries, led by a Malaysian attache, will be assigned on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border to monitor the ceasefire agreement on July 28.
Top officials of Thailand and Cambodia met on Thursday in Malaysia, the current ASEAN chair.
Thailand's Acting Minister of Defence Nattaphon Narkphanit met with his Cambodian counterpart Tea Seiha and concluded four days of talks.
Both continued to accuse each other of cross-border attacks, even after their leaders agreed to a cease-fire ending five days of fighting that began on July 24 and left 32 dead in Thailand and at least 13 in Cambodia. The two countries had been quarrelling for decades over their 817km (508-mile) undemarcated land border with the recent dispute breaking out after a landmine explosion on the border injured five Thai soldiers last month, with the resulting fighting killing at least 43 people.
Both sides have agreed to a ceasefire involving all types of weapons and any form of attacks on civilians and military objectives. All sides must avoid unprovoked firing towards the other side's positions or troop
The two countries resolved to maintain regular communications between all army areas and military regions along the border of both sides and strive to solve all issues peacefully.
They also agreed to convene the Regional Border Committee (RBC) Meeting within two weeks after the Extraordinary GBC Meeting on August 7, 2025.
The United States welcomed the developments as an "important step forward in solidifying the ceasefire arrangement and establishing the ASEAN observation mechanism", said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement on Thursday.
The July 28 ceasefire followed economic pressure from US President Donald Trump, who had warned the nations that he would not conclude trade deals with them if the fighting persisted. Washington subsequently lowered tariffs on goods from the two countries from 36 percent to 19 percent at the beginning of this month, Al Jazeera said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
3 hours ago
- Times of Oman
India "carefully monitoring" China's mega hydropower project on River Brahmaputra: Indian Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh
New Delhi: The Indian government has taken note of reports about China's commencement of construction on a massive hydropower project on the Brahmaputra River, in Tibet. The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that they were carefully monitoring China's hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo (upper reaches of the Brahmaputra) River in Tibet. This project, first made public in 1986, has been a subject of concern for India due to its potential impact on the country's interests and the livelihoods of local tribes. Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, said that the government carefully monitors all developments related to the Brahmaputra River and takes necessary measures to protect its interests. The government has consistently conveyed its views and concerns to the Chinese authorities, emphasising the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries. "The Government of India has taken note of reports about the commencement of construction of the mega dam project by China on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo (upper reaches of the Brahmaputra) River in Tibet. This project was first made public as far back as 1986 and since then, preparations have been underway in China," the MEA stated in response to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha. The MEA said that the government remained committed to safeguarding Indian interests in the region. "Government carefully monitors all developments relating to the Brahmaputra river, including plans by China to develop hydropower projects, and takes necessary measures to protect our interests, including preventive and corrective measures to safeguard life and livelihood of Indian citizens residing in downstream areas," the statement said. India has discussed various issues related to transboundary rivers with China under an institutionalised Expert Level Mechanism established in 2006. The government has also urged China to ensure that any activities in upstream areas do not harm the interests of downstream states. "Various issues relating to trans-border rivers are discussed with China under the ambit of an institutionalised Expert Level Mechanism which was established in 2006, as well as through diplomatic channels. As a lower riparian state with considerable established user rights to the waters of the trans-border rivers, Government has consistently conveyed its views and concerns to the Chinese authorities, including on the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries and has urged them to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas," he said. Singh said that the government noted the need for cooperation on the trans-border issue and has conveyed it to China. "The need for cooperation on trans-border rivers, including resumption of provision of hydrological data by the Chinese side has been highlighted by the Government in several bilateral interactions with China including during the recent visit of EAM to China from 14-16 July 2025 for the SCO Foreign Ministers' Meeting," he said. During the recent visit of External Affairs Minister to China for the SCO Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the need for cooperation on trans-border rivers, including the resumption of hydrological data provision by the Chinese side, was highlighted. The Indian government remains vigilant and proactive in protecting its interests and ensuring the well-being of its citizens.
Times of Oman
3 hours ago
- Times of Oman
India's resilient domestic demand and strength of services sector will mitigate strain of 'tariff penalty' for importing Russian crude: Moody's
New Delhi : India's strong domestic demand and the robust performance of its services sector will help cushion the economic impact of steep new US tariffs imposed as a penalty for continued imports of Russian crude oil, according to a report by Moody's Ratings. The report however also said that, if India maintains Russian oil purchases despite the penalty, real GDP growth could slow by around 0.3 percentage points from its current forecast of 6.3 per cent for FY2025-26. "We project that real GDP growth may slow by around 0.3 percentage points compared with our current forecast of 6.3 per cent growth for fiscal 2025-26 (ending March 2026). However, resilient domestic demand and the strength of services sector will mitigate the strain." noted the report. On August 6, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order slapping an additional 25 per cent "penalty" tariff on Indian goods, citing India's sustained purchases of Russian oil despite Western sanctions. This is on top of the 25 per cent reciprocal tariff announced earlier, effectively doubling the tariff rate on Indian exports to the US, its largest export market. The rate is significantly higher than the 15-20 per cent levies faced by most Asia-Pacific nations, potentially denting India's competitiveness in global trade. The order, which takes effect 21 days from signing, leaves a short window for negotiations. Moody's noted that India's response will be critical in determining the eventual effect on growth, inflation and external balances. India has sharply increased imports of Russian crude since 2022, taking advantage of discounted rates as traditional buyers retreated following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Russian oil accounted for 35.5 per cent of India's total crude imports in 2024, up from just 2.2 per cent in 2021, with the import bill surging to USD 56.8 billion from USD 2.8 billion over the same period. Only China bought more Russian crude than India last year. The report noted that while there will be a blow to manufacturing, especially in high-value sectors such as electronics and textile, strong domestic consumption and services exports will offset some of the losses in near-term. Alternatively, reducing Russian oil imports to avoid the tariff will have its own challenges. India will have to struggle for sufficient alternative supplies, leading to potential disruptions and higher energy costs. Shifting away from discounted Russian crude will also drive up inflation and widen the current account deficit. Cheap Russian oil has played a key role in checking India's inflation, which is at a multi-year low. Moody's warned that abandoning these purchases could reverse that trend. However, it noted that India's substantial foreign exchange reserves provide a buffer against external shocks. The report anticipates that while the immediate impact of the tariff escalation may be limited by resilient domestic demand, it cautioned that sustained tariff disadvantages versus regional peers could undermine India's long-term manufacturing and investment goals.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
Cambodia, Thailand agree to ceasefire with ASEAN as observers
Kuala Lumpur: Cambodia and Thailand agreed to allow the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to observe the ceasefire the two countries reached late last month to end fighting in a disputed border area, local media reported. Malaysian state media Bernama said that an interim observer team comprising defence attaches from ASEAN countries, led by a Malaysian attache, will be assigned on both sides of the Thai-Cambodian border to monitor the ceasefire agreement on July 28. Top officials of Thailand and Cambodia met on Thursday in Malaysia, the current ASEAN chair. Thailand's Acting Minister of Defence Nattaphon Narkphanit met with his Cambodian counterpart Tea Seiha and concluded four days of talks. Both continued to accuse each other of cross-border attacks, even after their leaders agreed to a cease-fire ending five days of fighting that began on July 24 and left 32 dead in Thailand and at least 13 in Cambodia. The two countries had been quarrelling for decades over their 817km (508-mile) undemarcated land border with the recent dispute breaking out after a landmine explosion on the border injured five Thai soldiers last month, with the resulting fighting killing at least 43 people. Both sides have agreed to a ceasefire involving all types of weapons and any form of attacks on civilians and military objectives. All sides must avoid unprovoked firing towards the other side's positions or troop The two countries resolved to maintain regular communications between all army areas and military regions along the border of both sides and strive to solve all issues peacefully. They also agreed to convene the Regional Border Committee (RBC) Meeting within two weeks after the Extraordinary GBC Meeting on August 7, 2025. The United States welcomed the developments as an "important step forward in solidifying the ceasefire arrangement and establishing the ASEAN observation mechanism", said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement on Thursday. The July 28 ceasefire followed economic pressure from US President Donald Trump, who had warned the nations that he would not conclude trade deals with them if the fighting persisted. Washington subsequently lowered tariffs on goods from the two countries from 36 percent to 19 percent at the beginning of this month, Al Jazeera said.
