Malaysia on Monday said Asean had a responsibility to help find a solution to the ongoing conflict between Cambodia and Thailand as the bloc’s foreign ministers convened a special meeting in Kuala Lumpur to address the renewed fighting along their shared border.
Fighting reignited in the contested frontier region earlier this month, displacing more than 500,000 people and killing dozens on either side, with Phnom Penh and Bangkok accusing each other of instigating violence and attacking civilians.
At least 22 people in Thailand and 19 in Cambodia have been killed as of Sunday, according to officials, as tanks, drones and heavy artillery were deployed to bombard targets on either side of the border.
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Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said deep ties between members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the rest of the world meant that a “security shock” such as the Cambodia–Thailand conflict had become an Asean and global concern.
“Asean must do whatever is necessary to maintain regional peace and stability,” Mohamad said in his opening remarks at the special meeting.
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“Our goal goes beyond de-escalating the tension. We must intensify trust-building among the conflicting parties and provide the horizons for dialogue despite the prevailing differences,” he added.