Thailand, Cambodia agree to ‘immediate, unconditional’ ceasefire: Malaysia

Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim says Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire in an urgent effort to resolve deadly border clashes.

Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet met on Monday for the ceasefire talks at Anwar’s official residence in Malaysia’s administrative capital of Putrajaya.“We have seen very positive development and results that would augur well for Cambodia and Thailand,” announced Anwar, who was flanked by Phumtam and Hun Manet.

Anwar said that US President Donald Trump as well as the Chinese leadership were in close contact with the leaders of both countries as well as Malaysia “to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict”.

Anwar said both Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to a ceasefire effective midnight (1200 GMT) of July 28. A meeting between the military commanders of both nations will follow on Tuesday, he added.

“This is a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security,” Anwar declared.

In the same address to reporters, Cambodia’s Hun Manet said, “Today we have a very good meeting and very good result that we hope to stop immediately the fighting that have caused many lives lost.”

Hun Manet also praised Trump’s “decisive” role in paving the way for the talks and the ceasefire, adding that he is hoping that the agreement will lead to the “rebuilding of trust and confidence” between his country and neighbouring Thailand.

For his part, Thailand’s Phumtam, who had earlier expressed doubts about Cambodia’s sincerity ahead of the negotiations in Malaysia, said Thailand had agreed to ceasefire that would “be carried out successfully in good faith by both sides”.The talks between the two warring Southeast Asian countries hosted by Anwar were aimed at halting fighting that has killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 270,000 from both sides of the Thailand-Cambodia border.

The ambassadors of the United States and China were also present at the meeting, the Malaysian official said.

Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride, reporting from Putrajaya, said the presence of the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia at the talks signaled the likelihood of an agreement.

“Given the high profile visit, there was an expectation that we are going to see a breakthrough,” McBride said.Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence spokeswoman Maly Socheata on Monday accused Thailand of deploying “a lot of troops” and firing “heavy weapons” into the Cambodian territory.

Socheata claimed that before dawn on Monday, the Thai military targeted areas near the ancient Ta Muen Thom and the Ta Kwai temples, which Cambodia claims are its territory but are being disputed by Thailand.

She also accused the Thai military of firing smoke bombs from aircraft over Cambodian territory and heavy weapons at its soldiers, adding that Cambodian troops “were able to successfully repel the attacks”.