PETALING JAYA: Sustained diplomatic engagements will continue despite no definitive resolution reached in the Thai-Cambodia conflict yet, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic).
The Prime Minister said this was crucial to prevent more serious incidents from occurring.
“Malaysia will continue to support peaceful dialogue, solutions grounded on international law and strengthen regional cooperation to safeguard the stability and security of our shared region,” he said in a statement uploaded on social media yesterday.
Anwar said he had engaged with the Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing tensions along their shared border.
“I appreciate the openness and willingness of both leaders to continue negotiations aimed at easing tensions and preventing any misunderstandings that could further escalate the situation,” he said.
Anwar had previously urged Thailand and Cambodia to exercise maximum restraint, maintain open channels of communication and make full use of the mechanisms in place following reports of armed clashes along their common border.
The Prime Minister said he was deeply concerned by the reports and offered his condolences to the families of those killed or injured.
He said Malaysia was ready to support steps which could help restore calm and avert further incidents, adding that Thailand and Cambodia were key members of Asean.
Long-running tensions over a disputed border between the two South-East Asian nations erupted into five days of fighting in July, when at least 48 people were killed and an estimated 300,000 temporarily displaced.
On Oct 26, Anutin and Hun Manet signed a peace deal known as the KL Peace Accord on the sidelines of the 47th Asean Summit, with Anwar and US President Donald Trump as witnesses.
