PHNOM PENH: (Bernama) Security along the sensitive Cambodia-Thailand border remains stable, as both governments continue to be intensely engaged in talks to resolve their differences.
The Cambodian Ministry of National Defence, during its media briefing on Saturday (Aug 16), said that the situation in Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey and Banteay Meanchey provinces was normal.
Ministry’s spokesperson Lt Gen Maly Socheata said the Regional Boundary Commission (RBC) meeting between both countries, held in Thailand’s Trat province on Friday, had made some progress, but no further details were disclosed.
”The meeting hopes to achieve more positive results that allow both sides to push for a fully effective ceasefire that brings peace, stability and normalcy,” said Maly.
During the briefing, she also said that the Asean Interim Observers Team (IOT), led by Malaysia’s Defence Attaché to Cambodia Col Nazlee Abdul Rahim, concluded their two-day mission to check security along the border areas.
Other Asean member states - Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam - are part of the observer team.
The team inspected border checkpoints in Banteay Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces.
Cambodia and Thailand are striving to maintain and bolster the ceasefire deal that was achieved on July 28 in Malaysia, after a border dispute led to a five-day armed conflict in northern Cambodia.
The intervention of Malaysia, as Asean chair, and the United States and China as observers managed to bring the hostile situation under control.
Both governments agreed to discuss the contentious issues based on the 13-point agreement reached during the Extraordinary Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) meeting held on Aug 7 in Kuala Lumpur, with the presence of the three countries. - Bernama
