Malaysia steps in to mediate after deadly Thailand-Cambodia border clashes
Photo: Malaysia to be the sole mediator (Getty Images)
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to Malaysian mediation after armed clashes erupted on their shared border. The leaders of both countries are scheduled to meet on July 28, according to The Straits Times, citing Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai are expected to arrive in Malaysia on the evening of July 28.
"They have full confidence in Malaysia and asked me to be a mediator," Mohamad said.
He added that he had spoken with his Cambodian and Thai counterparts. They agreed that no other country should be involved in resolving this issue.
The talks in Malaysia will follow an earlier proposal by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to establish a ceasefire on July 25. The next day, US President Donald Trump announced that the two leaders had agreed to work towards halting the fighting.
Four days after the fiercest clashes in a decade broke out between the Southeast Asian neighbors, the death toll has risen above 30. This includes 13 civilians in Thailand and 8 in Cambodia.
Additionally, authorities report that over 200,000 people have been evacuated from border areas in both countries.
It is also worth noting that on July 26, Thailand's military halted combat operations along the Cambodian border. However, the decision was driven not by Trump's efforts, but by torrential rains that made fighting impossible.
A detailed breakdown of the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, including the reasons behind the escalation, is available on RBC-Ukraine.
