Great development

3 days ago

After deadly clashes between Thailand and Cambodia it's great news that Thailand's army sent home two Cambodian soldiers from a group of 20 ahead of border talks.
Meaningful negotiation is the only way to resolve long standing disputes between the conflicting countries ('Thailand returns Cambodian soldiers ahead of border talks,' Aug.2, Gulf Today website).
The world needs peace. I hope the border talks between Thailand and Cambodia produce a fruitful result and avoid the bloodshed in the best interest of their people.
Shams Alam, By email

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Cambodia, Thai officials meet to iron out truce details

Gulf Today

an hour ago

Gulf Today

Cambodia, Thai officials meet to iron out truce details

Thai and Cambodian officials met in Malaysia on Monday for the first round of cross-border committee talks since a tense ceasefire was brokered last week after five days of deadly armed border clashes that killed dozens and displaced over 260,000 people. The four-day General Border Committee meetings were initially due to be hosted by Cambodia, but both sides later agreed to a neutral venue in Malaysia, the annual chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which mediated the halt in hostilities last month. The July 28 ceasefire followed economic pressure from US President Donald Trump, who had warned the warring nations that the US would not conclude trade deals with them if the fighting persisted. Washington lowered tariffs on goods from the two countries from 36% to 19% on Aug. 1 following the truce. A Cambodian military personnel stands on a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher. Reuters Monday's talks focused on ironing out details to avoid further clashes. Discussions of the decades-long competing territorial claims over the pockets of land near the shared border are not on the agenda. Thailand and Cambodia have been feuding neighbors for centuries, since both were mighty empires. In modern times, a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice awarding Cambodia the land on which the ancient Preah Vihear temple stands marked a new low point in relations, and other border territory remained claimed by both countries. Fighting erupted in 2011 at Preah Vihaer, after which the ICJ in 2013 reaffirmed its earlier ruling, rankling Thailand. Relations deteriorated again sharply in May this year, when a Cambodian soldier was shot dead in a brief fracas in one of the disputed border zones, setting off diplomatic and trade sanctions, one against the other. Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai (centre), speaks during a press conference next to Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, left and Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after talks on a possible ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on Monday. AP Soon after two incidents last month in which Thai soldiers were wounded by land mines in disputed territory - for which Thailand blamed Cambodia - the two sides downgraded diplomatic relations and fighting broke out, each side blaming the other for starting the armed clashes. The talks this week will include finalizing details and scope of reference for an ASEAN monitoring team, Malaysian Chief of Defense Forces Gen. Mohamad Nizam Jaffar said Monday. Despite some reports of attacks after the ceasefire came into effect, Nizam said such incidents were typical spillover violence and both sides showed strong commitment during Monday's talks to uphold the ceasefire. The main session of the General Border Committee on Thursday will be led by Thai Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Natthaphon Nakpanit and Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Seih, who also serves as deputy prime minister, and include observers from Malaysia, the United States and China, officials said. Associated Press

Cambodia and Thailand begin talks in Malaysia amid fragile ceasefire

Dubai Eye

a day ago

Dubai Eye

Cambodia and Thailand begin talks in Malaysia amid fragile ceasefire

Preliminary talks between Thailand and Cambodia defence officials started on Monday in Malaysia ahead of a key ministerial level meeting on Thursday, as a fragile truce continues to hold a week after the two sides agreed on a ceasefire. The ceasefire, which came after five days of border clashes between Cambodia and Thailand, was reached at a meeting in Malaysia last Monday, with help from the United States and China also observing. The worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours in over a decade included exchanges of artillery fire and jet fighter sorties, claiming at least 43 lives and leaving over 300,000 people displaced on both sides of the border. The ministers of defence of both countries are due to hold a meeting of the General Border Committee to discuss how to maintain the ceasefire, authorities on both sides said. The Thursday meeting will be observed by representatives from the United States, China and Malaysia. Mistrust between the two neighbours has lingered despite the ongoing talks, with the Cambodia defence ministry accusing Thailand in a statement of violating the ceasefire agreement by using excavators and laying barbed wire in a contested border area. Thailand said both sides are maintaining their position without any significant movements. But "there are reports that the Cambodian side has modified their positions and reinforced their troops in key areas... to replace personnel lost in each area," said Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, a Thai military spokesperson. Cambodia also demanded that Thailand releases 18 of its captured soldiers as soon as possible. Thailand said in a statement that the group are being treated well as "prisoners of war" and will be released after "a complete cessation of the armed conflict, not just a ceasefire".

Gulf Today

3 days ago

Gulf Today