Thailand and Cambodia start ceasefire talks

The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia have begun ceasefire talks. This comes amid insistence from the United States and regional powers, reports Bloomberg.

Acting Prime Minister of Thailand Phumtham Vejjajajayi and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Maneth hold talks in Putrajaya, the administrative capital of Malaysia.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim facilitates the dialogue as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The talks began shortly after the scheduled start at 15:00 (10:00 Kyiv time).

Before leaving for the talks, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham questioned the sincerity of Cambodia's intentions to end the fighting, as the clashes continued until the morning of July 28. In a comment to journalists, he said that discussions should focus on a ceasefire and the protection of Thai sovereignty.

Bangkok insists that a truce is possible only if troops are withdrawn, the use of lethal force is stopped, and an agreement is reached to resolve the conflict through bilateral mechanisms.

Cambodia insists on an unconditional cessation of hostilities.

• The border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia began on July 24, with more than 30 people killed and more than 130,000 people displaced in three days. These are the most violent clashes between the two countries in 13 years, noted reuters.
• Both countries claimed to have acted in self-defense and called on each other to stop the fighting and start negotiations.
• on July 26, US President Donald Trump announced that Cambodia and Thailand agreed to "immediately achieve a ceasefire." after talking to the heads of government of both countries.