Star Metro - Clashing Cambodia, Thailand agree to border talks after ASEAN meet

Renewed fighting this month, which shattered a previous truce, has killed at least 23 people in Thailand and 20 in Cambodia, and displaced more than 900,000 on both sides, officials said.

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow announced the planned bilateral parley after a meeting with his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Cambodia is also a member.

He told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that the discussion would be held Wednesday in southern Thailand's Chanthaburi within the framework of an existing bilateral border committee.

The Thai foreign ministry said in a statement that the committee would be convened for both nations' militaries to "discuss implementation, related steps and verification of the ceasefire in detail".

Cambodia's interior ministry, noting preparations for Wednesday's meeting, said it welcomed the regional efforts to sustain a truce and end hostilities.

"We remain optimistic that the Thai side will demonstrate sincerity in fully implementing the ceasefire in line with ASEAN's objectives," it said in a statement.

Thailand's Sihasak, however, cautioned that the upcoming meeting may not immediately produce a truce.

"Our position is a ceasefire does not come with an announcement, but must come from actions," he said.

Monday's meeting was convened by ASEAN chair Malaysia, which in late October hosted a summit where a truce declaration was signed under the auspices of US President Donald Trump.

Sihasak said that the October declaration was rushed.

"The United States wanted the declaration signed in time by the visit of President Trump," he said.

"Sometimes we really need to sit down and thrash things out so that things that we agree will really hold, really be respected."

- 'Urgent attention' -

Speaking at the start of Monday's meeting, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan urged the feuding neighbours and other ASEAN representatives to "give this matter our most urgent attention".

"We must consider the wider ramifications of the continued escalation of the situation for the people we serve," Mohamad said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said last week that ASEAN's duty "is to present the facts, but more importantly, to press upon them (Thailand and Cambodia) that it is imperative for them to secure peace".

Each side has blamed the other for instigating the renewed clashes, claiming self-defence and trading accusations of attacks on civilians.

The conflict stems from a territorial dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border and a smattering of ancient temple ruins situated on the frontier.

Phnom Penh's defence ministry said the fighting continued on Monday, accusing Thailand of firing artillery shells into Cambodian territory.

One civilian, a Chinese mining company worker, was injured, Cambodia's interior ministry said.

Beijing in a statement earlier on Monday expressed hope that the two sides would "come to a ceasefire as soon as possible".

The October joint declaration overseen by Trump was meant to prolong a fragile truce reached after five days of deadly clashes in July.

- 'Peaceful means' -

Ahead of the talks in Kuala Lumpur, Cambodia said it would "reaffirm its firm position of resolving differences and disputes through all peaceful means, dialogue and diplomacy".

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak had reiterated Bangkok's conditions for negotiations, including a demand that Cambodia announce a truce first and cooperate in de-mining efforts at the border.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that Washington hoped for a new ceasefire by early this week.

Trump, whose administration helped broker the previous truce alongside Malaysia and China, claimed this month that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to halt the fighting.

But Bangkok denied any such deal, with clashes continuing for two weeks and spreading to nearly all border provinces on both sides of the frontier.

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S.Lapointe--SMC