U.S. welcomes Cambodia–Thailand border talks in Kuala Lumpur, commends Malaysia’s role

WASHINGTON: The United States has welcomed the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting between Cambodia and Thailand in Kuala Lumpur, describing it as a significant step towards consolidating the ceasefire along their shared border and establishing an ASEAN-led observation mechanism.

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said both he and President Donald Trump expect the governments of Cambodia and Thailand to “fully honor their commitments to end this conflict,” which has seen intermittent clashes in disputed areas in recent months.

The high-level border talks build on diplomatic progress made during the July 28 Special Meeting, co-organised by Malaysia and the United States to address the tensions. That meeting laid the groundwork for the potential deployment of ASEAN monitors to oversee the ceasefire’s implementation.

Rubio praised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s “leadership” in facilitating the process, calling his willingness to co-host the July talks a decisive factor in advancing negotiations.

“We remain grateful to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his leadership and for hosting the ceasefire process,” Rubio said. “We look forward to supporting Malaysia, ASEAN, and both countries as this process moves forward.”

The Cambodia–Thailand border dispute, which has periodically flared into armed confrontation, often centres on the area near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site claimed by both nations.

Regional analysts say ASEAN’s direct involvement as a neutral monitoring body could help build the trust and transparency needed to maintain peace.