Thailand and Cambodia, which had been at odds and engaged in skirmishes along their border, have agreed on a draft peace agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the signing ceremony for the peace agreement between the two countries, which is scheduled to take place during the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit in Malaysia at the end of this month.
According to local Cambodian media outlets such as the Phnom Penh Post on October 19, Thailand and Cambodia have concluded negotiations on the peace agreement. Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn announced the outcome of the bilateral negotiations held in Malaysia the previous day.
He stated, "The two countries have reached a principled agreement on eradicating online scams, withdrawing heavy weaponry, pulling back troops, reviewing conditions for mine removal, and restoring diplomatic channels that have been severed since July." He added, "The agreement stipulates that both countries will resolve border issues peacefully and respect the principle of refraining from the use of force."
He also confirmed that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as chair of ASEAN, and President Trump will preside over the signing ceremony for the agreement.
Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow also said that the two countries have made substantial progress on the draft peace agreement, according to the Thai media outlet The Nation. He described the discussions as "very serious and straightforward," explaining that the talks centered on the 'four key conditions for normalization of bilateral relations' reaffirmed by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
The four key conditions are: ▲ withdrawal of heavy weaponry ▲ joint removal of border mines ▲ crackdown on cross-border crimes such as online scams ▲ resolution of border intrusion issues.
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