Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Monday that the goal of upcoming negotiations with Thailand is to secure an immediate ceasefire following the deadliest border clashes between the two nations in over a decade. However, Thai officials voiced skepticism about Cambodia’s intentions ahead of the talks in Kuala Lumpur.
The peace negotiations, hosted by Malaysia in its capacity as ASEAN chair, come after days of escalating violence along the disputed frontier. Both countries blame each other for initiating last week’s clashes, which have continued into Monday.
“We are not confident in Cambodia. Their actions so far have shown insincerity,” said Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai before departing for the talks. “Cambodia has violated international law, but no one wants to see more violence, especially when civilians are caught in the crossfire.”
Cambodia has firmly denied targeting civilians and accused Thailand of endangering innocent lives. It has called for international condemnation of what it described as Thai aggression.
Hun Manet, writing on X, said the meeting’s objective was to implement a ceasefire agreement initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump and endorsed by both nations. He added that the United States and China would participate in the talks.
The U.S. State Department confirmed it would assist in the peace process, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying both sides appeared open to a resolution.
The conflict reignited following the killing of a Cambodian soldier in May, leading to heightened military activity and a severe diplomatic crisis that has tested Thailand’s shaky coalition government.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who offered to mediate, said he was coordinating the structure of the talks. “The priority is an immediate ceasefire,” he told state media Bernama.
At the heart of the long-standing dispute are several undemarcated areas along the 817-km border, including the Preah Vihear and Ta Moan Thom temple complexes. Although the International Court of Justice awarded Preah Vihear to Cambodia in 1962, tensions flared in 2008 when Cambodia sought UNESCO recognition for the site. Sporadic clashes since then have left dozens dead.
In June, Cambodia said it had approached the court to settle the ongoing border issues, but Thailand rejected the court’s jurisdiction, favoring direct bilateral talks instead.
Reuters/s.s