KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand will begin the process of releasing the 18 Cambodian soldiers taken as prisoners of war, its Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said as both countries signed the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord in the presence of US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Trump and Anwar were the witnesses of the signing between Anutin and his Cambodian counterpart, Prime Minister Hun Manet, on the sidelines of the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday (Oct 26).
Both sides will also begin removing heavy weapons from the border areas.
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"Thailand will also begin the process of releasing the 18 detained Cambodian soldiers.
"We have a responsibility to act in earnest and in good faith, and that will restore livelihoods and protect the well-being of our communities along our shared borders," Anutin said in his speech during the signing ceremony.
"We have come a long way since agreeing to the ceasefire here in Malaysia on July 28. The discussions since then have led to these important outcomes of our joint declaration today," he said while thanking Hun Manet for his cooperation and support.
"Thailand stands for peace. This declaration reflects our will to resolve differences peacefully in full respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.
He said the declaration, if fully implemented, would
"I believe we can achieve what seemed beyond reach a few months ago," he said.
Hun Manet also requested the prompt release of the Cambodian soldiers during his speech.
"No matter how difficult our dispute may be, it must always be resolved through peaceful means," he said.
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He affirmed Cambodia’s strong commitment to fully and peacefully implement the joint declaration and to continue working closely with Thailand and its partners to ensure that the peace endeavours bring tangible benefits to the citizens of both countries.
He said military commanders from both sides are engaging in talks for withdrawals.
He also expressed his appreciation to Trump and Anwar for their efforts.
