KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said on Oct 14 that US President Donald Trump will visit Malaysia on Oct 26, and is “looking forward” to witnessing a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia.
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia over undemarcated points along their 817km land border erupted into a deadly five-day conflict in July, killing at least 48 and temporarily displacing hundreds of thousands in their worst fighting in more than a decade.
Malaysia and the United States will facilitate the ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, which will require both sides to remove all mines and heavy artillery from their borders, Datuk Seri Mohamad said.
He said he hoped the ceasefire agreement will be signed during the upcoming Asean leaders’ meeting in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur from Oct 26 to 28.
“During the summit, we hope to see the signing of a declaration known as the Kuala Lumpur Accord between these two neighbours to ensure peace and a lasting ceasefire,” Mr Mohamad told the media.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, the current chair of Asean, has said Mr Trump will attend the meetings but there has been no official confirmation yet from Washington.
On Oct 12, the Thai foreign ministry said the foreign ministers of both countries met in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend to discuss the ceasefire, with US and Malaysian officials present.
The East Asia Summit, to be held during the Asean meeting, will issue a chairman’s statement, rather than a joint statement, as the United States had objected to use of the word “inclusivity”, Mr Mohamad added, without elaborating.
Leaders of all 10 members of the grouping and trading partners, such as China, Japan, Russia and the United States, will attend the summit. REUTERS
ANN/Straitstimes
