US officials in Malaysia to help in Cambodia-Thailand talks, says Rubio
President Donald Trump and Rubio were engaged with their counterparts for each country and were monitoring the situation very closely, Rubio said in a statement released by the State Department late on Sunday in the US.
"We want this conflict to end as soon as possible," he said. "State Department officials are on the ground in Malaysia to assist these peace efforts."
The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia were scheduled to attend mediation talks over their deadly border conflict in Malaysia on Monday, the Thai government said, as both sides accused each other of launching fresh artillery strikes across contested areas.
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have intensified since the late-May killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief border skirmish. Border troops on both sides were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand's fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse.
Hostilities resumed on Thursday and, within just four days, escalated into the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours in more than a decade.
The death toll has risen above 30, including 13 civilians in Thailand and eight in Cambodia, while authorities report that more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from border areas.
Rubio, in separate phone calls on Sunday with Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, urged both countries to "de-escalate tensions immediately" and agree to a ceasefire with each other, a US State Department spokesperson said in a statement.
Rubio also reiterated US President Trump's desire for peace and the importance of an immediate ceasefire.
"The United States is prepared to facilitate future discussions in order to ensure peace and stability between Thailand and Cambodia."
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