Kuala lumpur: Malaysia’s Bernama news agency reported that Malaysian Armed Forces Chief General Muhammad Nizam Jaffar emphasized Malaysia’s commitment to ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of the Thai-Cambodian peace process, highlighting its critical importance to regional stability. General Jaffar stressed that any delays could potentially reignite hostilities reminiscent of past conflicts.
According to Thai News Agency, General Jaffar acknowledged the necessity of a ‘cooling period’ for both Thailand and Cambodia to assess the current situation. He expressed optimism for a swift resolution, especially as the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) in Thailand participated in the Thai National Security Council meeting. He hoped for a favorable decision to facilitate the peace process’s progression and fulfillment of its objectives.
General Jaffar noted that while the Thai-Cambodian issue is a bilateral matter, ASEAN member states have a shared mission to support one another. He mentioned that the AOT team currently lacks access to the incident area, located approximately 40 kilometers from the border. In the event of a recurrence of past crises, the AOT teams would be relocated to Phnom Penh and Bangkok.
For now, much of the peace agreement’s groundwork, including demining operations and other related activities, has been accomplished. Should the process face temporary suspension, the AOT teams would be repositioned, and further discussions with both parties would be initiated to ensure the resumption of all activities.