Expect Thailand-Kamboja Conflict To Be Resolved Soon On The 58th ASEAN Day, Deputy Minister Of Foreign Affairs Tata: Take Care Of Unity And Solidarity

JAKARTA - Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir hopes that the Cambodia and Thailand conflict will be resolved soon, reminding the importance of maintaining unity and solidarity in the Southeast Asia region, on the 58th anniversary of ASEAN on Friday.

Thailand and Cambodia have been involved in cross-border attacks in the past decade last month, following a long-standing border dispute.

Last month's fighting included exchange of artillery fire and fighter jet bomb attacks that killed at least 43 people and displaced more than 300,000 people on both sides of the border.

The two countries agreed an unconditional ceasefire in a trilateral meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on July 28.

"The problems between Thailand and Cambodia (hopefully) can be resolved soon and we support the steps taken by Malaysia as Chair of ASEAN," said Deputy Foreign Minister Tata in Jakarta, Friday, August 8.

Furthermore, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tata assessed that the steps taken constructively, with a spirit of solidarity, the spirit of cooperation and the ASEAN unit are important to be maintained.

"Moreover, today is the 58th ASEAN Day, we must continue to maintain the ASEAN unit, we must continue to maintain ASEAN solidarity, must encourage cooperation between ASEAN countries," said Deputy Foreign Minister Tata.

Yesterday, Thailand and Cambodia agreed on a ceasefire implementation plan to ease tensions at the border between the two countries. The plan, which consists of 13 points, was agreed upon at a meeting of the border committees of the two countries led by the Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Seiha and acting Minister of Defense of Thailand Nattaphon Narkphanit.

"There will be an ASEAN military attach monitoring team based in Thailand and Cambodia, led by Malaysia," Nattaphon said.

"Thailand and Cambodia are neighboring countries with separable joint borders. A resolution will allow our people to return to a peaceful life."

Thailand and Cambodia stated in a joint statement that they would hold further negotiations in two weeks and then return within a month.

Thailand and Cambodia have been at odds for decades over their unbounded land border region of 817 km (508 miles), which France first mapped out in 1907 when France was still its colony.