Thailand-Cambodia conflict, Timor-Leste accession to ASEAN among key highlights

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, in a press conference after chairing a series of meetings, namely the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the 30th ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council Meeting and the 37th ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Meeting, said that ASEAN will continue talks on deploying observers to Myanmar as part of ongoing efforts to address the country's crisis.

He reaffirmed that the bloc remains guided by the Five-Point Consensus in its pursuit of peace and stability in Myanmar, adding that ministers also discussed extending the mandate of the ASEAN Special Envoy to ensure consistent engagement on the issue.

On the Thailand-Cambodia border situation, Mohamad said that the withdrawal of heavy weapons and clearance of explosives are key elements in a ceasefire agreement expected to be finalised at the 47th ASEAN Summit.

The agreement will also establish an ASEAN Observer Team to monitor the border area, maintaining a truce that has held since July, following the agreement by both the Cambodian and Thai prime ministers at the time to halt hostilities.

Mohamad said ASEAN hopes the ceasefire will hold and called on both countries to continue dialogue and work towards a peaceful resolution of their border demarcation issue.

On Timor-Leste's accession, Mohamad described the occasion as a historic milestone that signifies the expansion of ASEAN's scope to include every sovereign state in Southeast Asia as Timor-Leste deposited its Instruments of Accession to the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ).

The country will be formally welcomed as a full member with the signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN during the opening of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre tomorrow.

The last country to join ASEAN before Timor-Leste was Cambodia, which became the 10th member on April 30, 1999.

Meanwhile, Finland reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with ASEAN following its accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) today, making it the third country to join the ASEAN treaty during Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 after Algeria and Uruguay in July.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen formalised the country's commitment on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here.

Earlier, Mohamad and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz also jointly chaired the ASEAN Joint Foreign and Economic Ministers' (AMM-AEM) Meeting.

In a Chairman's Statement issued after the meeting, ASEAN Ministers for Foreign and Economic Affairs have recommended that their officials explore the idea of institutionalising the AMM-AEM Meeting as an annual standing engagement to be convened prior to the ASEAN Summits.

At the meeting, Mohamad emphasised that ASEAN must speak with one clear and united voice amid global rivalries and economic uncertainties, highlighting the region's resolve to act cohesively in navigating power shifts, supply chain reconfiguration and the growing overlap of technology, security and economics.

On the economic front, Tengku Zafrul said that Malaysia is optimistic about concluding a trade agreement with the United States next week, following the ongoing discussions between both governments on reciprocal tariffs and trade facilitation measures.

At the same time, he also held bilateral meetings with the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer, South African Trade Minister Parks Tau and ByteDance (Tiktok) Southeast Asia.

Tengku Zafrul and Brazil's Vice Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services Marcio Fernando Elias Rosa also sealed a memorandum of understanding to focus on enhancing cooperation in the semiconductor industry.

Meanwhile, ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Deputy Secretary-General Satvinder Singh, speaking at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2025, said the upgraded ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) is expected to reach over 99 per cent openness in regional trade flows.

He said member states are expected to ink an upgraded ATIGA at the 47th ASEAN Summit.

-- BERNAMA