Indonesian Foreign Ministers And Malaysia Discuss ASEAN Steps To Help Solve Cambodia-Thailand Problems Peacefully

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono discussed the steps ASEAN could take to help resolve tensions between Cambodia and Thailand in the border area, during talks with Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.

"The Minister of Foreign Affairs (RI Sugiono) yesterday communicated with the Malaysian Foreign Minister as chairman of ASEAN this year to explore things ASEAN can do together to help both ASEAN member countries resolve their problems in peaceful ways," said a spokesman for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rolliansyah "Roy" Soemirat in his statement, Friday, July 25.

Roy said the Indonesian government was closely following developments on the Thai border with Cambodia.

According to him, Indonesia believes that the two neighboring countries will return to peaceful ways to resolve differences, as well as the principles reflected in the ASEAN Charter and Friendship and Cooperation Contracts agreed with all countries in the ASEAN region.

Roy ensured that the Government of the Republic of Indonesia would continue to monitor the existence and safety of Indonesian citizens living in affected areas.

"Until now, based on monitoring and communication with the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok and the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh, there have been no reports of affected Indonesian citizens, victims from the situation in the field," said Roy.

He appealed to Indonesian citizens in both countries to keep up with developments from time to time, always looking for information from official sources, both from local authorities and from the portal and social media of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Embassy.

It is known that tensions are rising on Thursday's Thailand-Kamboja border, following tensions that have been going on for weeks due to border disputes.

Cambodia's heavy artillery attack was met with an attack by Thailand's F-16 fighter jet. A number of residents were killed and injured due to tensions that took place yesterday.

For more than a century, Thailand and Cambodia have been fighting for sovereignty at various points that are unrestricted along their 817 km (508 miles) long land border, leading to minor fighting for several years and at least a dozen deaths, including during a week-long artillery shootout in 2011.

One of the points of dispute is the Preah Vihear Temple from the 11th century, the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Tensions escalated again in May after the killing of a Cambodian soldier in a brief firefight, which escalated to a massive diplomatic crisis and has now sparked armed clashes.

A few weeks before yesterday's incident, tensions escalated as a result of landmine incidents and diplomatic expulsion by the two countries, as well as heavy artillery strikes and rockets near border temples.