Thailand, Cambodia Expected To Sign Ceasefire Agreement At 47th ASEAN Summit

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- Thailand and Cambodia are expected to sign a ceasefire agreement at the 47th ASEAN Summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur, which will also be witnessed by United States President Donald Trump.

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said the signing of the agreement, known as the “Kuala Lumpur Accord”, aims to ensure that both countries can make peace and adhere to the ceasefire along the disputed border area.

He announced that Trump will make an official visit to Malaysia on Oct 26 to attend several meetings related to the 47th ASEAN Summit and its Related Summits under Malaysia’s chairmanship, including the ASEAN-US Special Summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS).

“We are working together with the United States, with Malaysia acting as facilitator, to ensure a broader ceasefire can be established between Thailand and Cambodia, and monitored by the ASEAN Operations Team (AOT),” he told reporters during a press conference at the Concorde Club here Tuesday.

Mohamad said the ceasefire agreement would set out several conditions for Thailand and Cambodia, including clearing all landmines and withdrawing military machinery from the border areas.

Thailand and Cambodia have faced decades-long conflict over territory along their shared 817-kilometre border.

The dispute escalated on July 24 when both sides exchanged gunfire, before it ended on July 28 after the two countries reached a ceasefire agreement during a special meeting organised by Malaysia in Putrajaya.

Meanwhile, Mohamad said over 80 documents are expected to be adopted during the Summit, majority of them on economic sectors.

“We would also have meeting on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) and this is important in view of the uncertain geoeconomic situation,” he said.

ASEAN and China are also scheduled to sign the ASEAN China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) 3.0 during the summit, he said.

-- BERNAMA