Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar says ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting postponed as Thailand-Cambodia dispute heats up

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar says ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting postponed as Thailand-Cambodia dispute heats up

[National] Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday (December 15) that a special meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed as the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand has not subsided and there are concerns that the conflict will escalate, according to Malaysian newspaper Malay Mail.

The special meeting scheduled for Tuesday is expected to bring together ASEAN foreign ministers to find a solution to the ongoing conflict that has killed dozens of people on both sides.

But Anwar said Thailand and Cambodia had requested a temporary postponement.

“We are still coordinating, there is some slight postponement to the foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled on Tuesday as we are still trying to get everything in order,” he said after delivering a keynote address at a book launch here.

“But we are appealing to them to stop the fighting, which is very difficult,” Anwar added, disclosing that both sides have kept in contact “on a daily basis”.

Anwar added that Malaysia would continue to mediate and urge the two countries to stop fighting.

News reports from yesterday suggested Bangkok could impose a naval blockade of the Gulf of Thailand to incapacitate Cambodia’s military capabilities by blocking critical supplies from reaching the country, although the Thai navy later denied the report as misleading.

When asked to comment on the potential blockade, Anwar replied that negotiations were ongoing.

“We’re still negotiating to get things through,” the prime minister said.

Mr. Anwar also revealed that he continues to maintain relations with Thailand and Cambodia on a consistent basis. Source

-Khmer Times-