JERTIH, July 26 — Malaysia has proposed that Thailand and Cambodia use the General Border Committee as a mechanism to resolve diplomatic disputes between the two countries, according to Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said, if agreed upon in negotiation, leaders of the two countries should then welcome the proposals put forward by the committee.
“This is because they both (Thailand and Cambodia) want the other side to apologise first, so I suggest that they use the General Border Committee mechanism…because each has its strength and they just don’t want to give in,” he told reporters after officiating the Besut UMNO Division meeting here today.
Mohamad said he had and would always be in touch with his counterparts, namely Maris Sangiampongsa of Thailand and Prak Sokhonn of Cambodia, to ask for the dispute to stop.
“I have asked them to stand down so that a ceasefire can be held as soon as possible, because the two countries are friends, neighbours and have long-standing family ties. We need to find a solution together through dialogue and diplomatic channels.
“So Insya-Allah I will try to contact them again and also some friends there (in Thailand and Cambodia) who have influence,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said Wisma Putra had already issued a ban on Malaysians in both countries from going to or approaching the troubled areas.
He said the Malaysian embassies in Bangkok, Thailand and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, were also always open for Malaysians to report any problems, including those related to the conflict.
Media previously reported that Thai and Cambodian troops clashed last Thursday in a disputed border area, with both sides pointing fingers at each other over who was considered to be the initiator of the latest confrontation.
Tensions between the two Southeast Asian countries have escalated since May 28 following a bloody incident in the Preah Vihear area that killed a Cambodian soldier.
The two countries have been in conflict over the 817-kilometre border issue that has not been resolved for several decades, which continues to affect their diplomatic relations.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was reported to have contacted Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on Thursday to express Malaysia’s concerns over the escalating tensions. — Bernama
