Parliamentary representatives from 45 separate nations have urged Thailand to immediately release the 18 Cambodian soldiers it detained following the July 28 ceasefire, saying the move would demonstrate goodwill and rebuild mutual trust and confidence for peace and stability between the two neighbouring kingdoms.
The appeal was issued in a November 12 joint statement dated, during the Interparliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC) held in Islamabad, Pakistan, from November 11–12.
The ISC noted that it has been closely monitoring the latest developments in the Cambodia–Thailand border conflict and expressed both hopes for a peaceful resolution. The conference welcomed the Joint Peace Declaration, signed by the prime ministers of Cambodia and Thailand on October 26 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which was witnessed by US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, ASEAN chair.
However, the ISC expressed serious concerns over recent reports that Thai authorities have decided to suspend implementation of the peace agreement and authorise renewed military operations against Cambodia — actions that could jeopardise the fragile peace which was achieved through difficult negotiations.
The ISC therefore urged Thailand to “immediately release the 18 detained Cambodian soldiers, who were arrested after the ceasefire took effect, as a gesture of goodwill and commitment to fostering mutual trust and confidence for peace and stability, in accordance with humanitarian principles and international law, and in line with ASEAN’s vision of a community built on equality and positive peace”.
The Joint Peace Declaration reaffirmed the two countries’ firm commitment to end hostilities, avoid further destruction or displacement, and refrain from the use or threat of force, instead resolving disputes peacefully through dialogue and in full respect for international borders, sovereignty and law. It also emphasised the promotion of peace, security and prosperity, based on the principles of mutual respect for independence, equality, territorial integrity and national identity.
The ISC called on both sides to observe and implement the agreed principles in the Joint Declaration, to de-escalate tensions, restore border peace and trust, and revive diplomatic relations in the spirit of good neighbourliness, friendship and unity, leading toward lasting peace and mutual benefit for both countries and the region.
The conference discussed global peace and security challenges, including wars, natural disasters and humanitarian crises, which continue to hinder development efforts worldwide.
Suos Yara, chair of the Cambodian National Assembly’s Fifth Commission, spoke on behalf of Senate President Hun Sen.
He highlighted that peace remains the most essential foundation for Cambodia, recalling the nation’s experience of nearly three decades of civil war before achieving comprehensive peace in the late 1990s through Hun Sen’s win-win policy — a testament to the power of dialogue, reconciliation and multilateralism.
“Moreover, Cambodia continues to play an active role in global peacekeeping under the United Nations umbrella and remains steadfast in implementing the principles set out in the Kuala Lumpur Joint Peace Declaration,” he noted.
