KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the continuation of the peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, says Armed Forces chief Jeneral Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar.
He said that as the coordinator of the peace accord between the two neighbouring countries, Malaysia maintains its position to see the peace process and ceasefire move forward as planned.
"The main objective is to ensure that the peace agreement and bilateral relations between Thailand and Cambodia can be achieved. It is our responsibility as part of Asean to assist one another and ensure that peace is maintained,” he said when contacted on Tuesday (Nov 11).
He stressed that Malaysia’s stance is to ensure the peace process continues without interruption, noting that any delay could risk a return to previous tensions between the two countries.
"There are multiple timelines in the agreement, and if they are disrupted, the situation may regress to what it was before. We truly hope that the peace process will continue.
"We are also aware of the recent landmine explosion incident, and it will require a cooling-off period to determine the actual cause," he added.
On the status of the Asean Observer Team (AOT) following the incident, he said the team has not been allowed to approach the affected area.
"The AOT is stationed about 40km from the blast site. If tensions escalate to the level seen before the peace agreement, both observer teams from Thailand and Cambodia will be instructed to return to Bangkok and Phnom Penh respectively," he explained.
He added that Thailand’s National Security Council is currently holding a meeting to discuss the next steps for the peace agreement, with the Thai AOT present at the meeting venue.
"We hope the outcome of the meeting will lead to decisions that ensure the ceasefire and peace objectives are achieved," he said.
