SISAKET: U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand had agreed to hold immediate talks aimed at securing a ceasefire, following three days of deadly clashes along their shared border.
Thailand’s acting Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, expressed appreciation for Trump’s efforts and stated that Thailand supports the idea of a ceasefire “in principle.” However, he emphasized the need for “genuine commitment” from Cambodia.
Phumtham made the comments in response to a series of social media posts by Trump, who was visiting Scotland at the time. Trump said he had personally spoken with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Phumtham, and had warned both that the U.S. would not pursue trade deals with either country if the hostilities continued.
“Both sides are seeking an immediate ceasefire and peace,” Trump wrote, sharing details of his diplomatic outreach.
Phumtham also said he asked Trump to urge Cambodia to agree to a bilateral meeting as soon as possible to outline steps for a ceasefire and ultimately resolve the dispute through peaceful means.
More than 30 people have died and over 130,000 have been displaced in what has become the most intense fighting between the two countries in 13 years.
Prior to Trump’s intervention, border clashes had continued for a third straight day, with new areas of conflict reported. Both governments claimed they were acting in self-defense and accused each other of escalating the situation.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over the violence. According to his spokesperson, Farhan Haq, Guterres has urged both nations to agree to an immediate ceasefire and resolve the conflict through dialogue. He also condemned the loss of life and said he is willing to support efforts toward a peaceful solution.
Trump did not provide specifics on when or where the ceasefire talks would occur. The White House and the embassies of Thailand and Cambodia in Washington have not yet commented on the matter.
(Source: Reuters)
Comment