US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the country's Foreign Ministry officials are in Malaysia to support the peace negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia, expected to begin on the afternoon of July 28 in the hope of reaching a ceasefire agreement.
Mr. Rubio said that President Donald Trump and he are closely coordinating with the leaders of these two Southeast Asian countries and closely monitoring the situation. "We hope the conflict will end soon," he stressed in a press release issued by the US State Department late on July 27.
The Thai government confirmed that the leaders of the two countries will attend the negotiations in Malaysia. The meeting comes as both sides accuse each other of conducting new shelling across the disputed border area.
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have escalated since a Cambodian soldier was killed in a short clash at the border in late May. Since then, both sides have mobilized more forces, plunging diplomatic relations into serious crisis.
The conflict flared up again on July 24, and within just four days became the worst confrontation between the two neighbors in more than a decade. The death toll has exceeded 30, including 13 civilians in Thailand and 8 in Cambodia. More than 200,000 people have been forced to evacuate from the border area.
In private phone calls with Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa, Mr Rubio called on both sides to immediately reduce tensions and reach a ceasefire agreement.
Mr. Rubio also reaffirmed President Trump's desire for peace, emphasizing the need for a soon end to the conflict. He said the US was ready to facilitate further dialogue rounds to ensure regional peace and stability.
President Trump said both sides have goodwill to resolve the disagreement, and he has made it clear that the US will not sign any trade deals with them if military actions do not end. The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia agreed to meet to quickly reach a ceasefire agreement.
