US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed concern over ongoing "violence" between Cambodia and Thailand, offering US support to facilitate talks between the two neighbours.
Rubio raised the issue during a phone call on Thursday with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, the US State Department said.
He reiterated President Donald Trump’s "desire for peace" and stressed the need to fully implement the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords, signed by both countries in October at the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.
The agreement was suspended after Thai soldiers were seriously injured in a landmine explosion in a border province.
"Secretary Rubio further reaffirmed that the United States is prepared to facilitate discussions to ensure peace and stability between Cambodia and Thailand," the State Department said.
Hun Manet said that the two leaders discussed ceasefire developments and the implementation of the peace agreement with Thailand.
He stressed Cambodia’s "firm commitment" to the Bangkok–Phnom Penh agreement and expressed hope that bilateral efforts would help resolve border disputes and achieve lasting peace.
Border tensions persist
The call came a day after Thailand and Cambodia held their first military talks since clashes resumed earlier this month.
The meeting took place on Wednesday in Thailand’s Chanthaburi province and reportedly lasted less than an hour.
Military negotiations are expected to continue on Friday.
Clashes resumed on December 8, a day after a border incident wounded two Thai soldiers.
Since then, fighting has killed at least 96 people on both sides, according to official figures.
Thai authorities said 23 soldiers and one civilian were killed, while 41 other civilians died as a result of what they described as collateral effects.
Cambodia’s Interior Ministry said 31 Cambodian civilians were killed.
Nearly one million people have been displaced on both sides of the border since the violence resumed.
