Kuala lumpur: Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohammad Hasan announced on Sunday that Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to allow Malaysia to mediate in resolving their 4-year border conflict.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai are set to meet in Malaysia on Monday night to engage in mediation talks. The conflict has resulted in numerous casualties, prompting the need for a neutral solution facilitated by Malaysia.
Hasan emphasized that both leaders have expressed their desire for Malaysia to be the sole mediator in the talks, rejecting the involvement of any other third parties. As the chair of the ASEAN regional cooperation forum, Malaysia is obligated to mediate and help resolve this internal conflict through direct discussions on neutral ground.
The situation escalated when Thailand withdrew its ambassador from Cambodia and sent the Cambodian ambassador in Thailand back to Cambodia, marking four days of intensified exchanges in the disputed border area.
The Thai-Cambodian conflict, rooted in historical disputes over the sovereignty of the Preah Vihear Temple and its surrounding areas, has seen armed clashes in 2008 and 2011. Although tensions had previously deescalated, recent military movements near the area have reignited the conflict.