Cambodia's Defense Minister has requested Thailand to move the bilateral talks on border disputes to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, citing it as a safe and neutral location.
An AFP report on Tuesday, 23 Dec 2023 GMT+7, stated that the request appeared in a letter from Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Seiha to the Thai side, as the two countries prepare to negotiate terms for a ceasefire following intense fighting over the past two weeks.
Earlier, Thailand's Foreign Minister Sihasak Puangketkaew announced on Monday that talks with Cambodia would take place after he attended an ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Kuala Lumpur, where Cambodia is also an ASEAN member.
Sihasak said the discussions would be held on Wednesday in Chantaburi province under the existing framework of the Joint Bilateral Border Committee, while Cambodia sent a letter dated Monday to Thai Defense Minister General Natthaphon Nakwanich requesting the meeting be moved to Kuala Lumpur.
In the letter, Tea Seiha stated, "For safety reasons due to ongoing border fighting, this meeting should be held in a place that is safe and neutral." He also noted that Malaysia, currently ASEAN chair, has agreed to host the talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Thailand's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorn Dechplangkul said the venue is "still under discussion," adding that the talks will last two days, beginning with technical working group meetings.
Meanwhile, Thailand's Defense Minister sought to ease Cambodia's concerns about holding the meeting in Thailand, affirming the talks are scheduled for Chantaburi province, an area with "almost no fighting" and considered safe. He said the last Joint Border Committee meeting was held in Cambodia's Koh Kong province, so this time it is Thailand's turn, emphasizing that Thailand can separate military issues from diplomatic ones.
However, the Thai Defense Minister also stated that Thai forces will continue fighting as long as Cambodia does not cease hostilities, with border clashes along the nearly entire frontier having calmed only in two provinces.
Recently, former U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned the Thai-Cambodian conflict again on Monday local U.S. time, describing it as one of the "8 wars" he claimed he could end.
He said Thailand has started to take steps and is restarting efforts, adding that he thinks the situation is now shaping up and moving toward a ceasefire.
Source:channelnewsasia
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