Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet (L) and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai (R) shake hands as Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (C) puts his arms around them following a press conference after talks on a possible ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Monday. EPA/MOHD RASFAN / POOL
Cambodia and Thailand reached a cease-fire agreement to end fighting over their disputed border after meeting for negotiations in Malaysia on Monday.
The agreement is set to come into effect at midnight local time as Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a social media post that the two sides “agreed to end their hostilities.”
“I express my sincere appreciation to Thailand and Cambodia for choosing the path of diplomacy, and to President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping for their constructive support in advancing this peace initiative,” Ibrahim said.
The meeting came as fighting had continued between the Asian neighbors and after U.S. President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that they had agreed to “immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE.”
He added that China would also be participating.
“The United States applauds the ceasefire declaration between Cambodia and Thailand announced today in Kuala Lumpur,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement on Monday.
“We urge all parities to follow through on their commitments. The United States will remain committed to and engaged in the U.S.-Malaysia organized process to end this conflict.”
The cease-fire comes after days of deadly fighting over their disputed border.
Rubio confirmed late Sunday that his staff was “on the ground in Malaysia to assist in the peace efforts.”
The fighting began Thursday, with each side blaming the other for renewing a decades-old conflict over their disputed border.
Thailand has said that at least 14 civilians have been killed, and that it has returned the bodies of 12 slain Cambodians to their native country. Reports state at least 34 people have been killed in the fighting.
According to a Monday statement from the Cambodian Ministry of Defense, more than 134,707 people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 400,000 Cambodian workers in Thailand have returned to their native country in the past five days.
