Anwar-Led Talks Yield Ceasefire, Reinforce ASEAN's Role In Regional Peace
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- The agreement on an immediate and unconditional ceasefire reached between Thailand and Cambodia during a special meeting held in Putrajaya on Monday highlighted ASEAN's role as an effective mechanism in resolving regional disputes, as both parties complied with the bloc's call for order.
School of Law and Governance Senior Lecturer at Taylor's University, Dr Julia Roknifard, said the desire of ASEAN members to avoid interference in the internal affairs of the grouping, prompted by United States President Donald Trump's threats, has encouraged both Thailand and Cambodia to adhere to the principle of ASEAN centrality.
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'At first, they (Thailand and Cambodia) didn't seem so open to the idea that ASEAN can play a role, saying that they would like to negotiate on a bilateral basis between each other. Yet, ASEAN turned out to be the very mechanism to call them to order, and they complied.
'The very fact that the Thai and Cambodian leaders had the confidence to hold the talks in Malaysia with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the host bodes well for ASEAN as a cooperative organisation,' she said when contacted by Bernama on Monday.
Earlier, Anwar announced that Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire amid rising tensions along their disputed border, following a special meeting he chaired in Putrajaya on Monday.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai attended the meeting.
Also in attendance were United States (US) Ambassador to Malaysia, Edgard Kagan, and Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia, Ouyang Yujing. The US was a co-organiser of the meeting, while China was an observer to promote a peaceful resolution to the ongoing situation.
According to Roknifard, both Cambodia and Thailand must work towards putting an end to the conflict, preferably for good, as such situations create an opening for external powers that are seeking to further their own interests.
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