SPECIAL ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING ON CAMBODIA-THAILAND BEGINS IN KUALA LUMPUR
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 (Bernama) -- The Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) on the current situation between Cambodia and Thailand, convened by Malaysia as ASEAN Chair, began at 12.14pm, at a hotel here.
Chaired by Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, the meeting is attended by foreign ministers and officials from member countries and the ASEAN Secretariat, including ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn.
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow are among the attendees. The meeting was convened pursuant to the decision of the prime ministers of Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand on Dec 11.
Other foreign ministers at the meeeting are Sugiono of Indonesia, Thongsavanh Phomvihane (Laos), Dr Vivian Balakrishnan (Singapore), and Bendito dos Santos Freitas (Timor-Leste), as well as Brunei’s Foreign Minister II Datuk Erywan Pehin Yusof and the Philippines’ Secretary of Foreign Affairs Theresa P. Lazaro.
Vietnam is represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang, while Myanmar officials joined the meeting virtually.
Officials include ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for Political-Security Community Datuk Astanah Abdul Aziz and Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin.
The meeting provides a platform for the ASEAN foreign ministers to exchange views on the current situation between Cambodia and Thailand and to consider possible steps that ASEAN may take in support of the ongoing efforts towards de-escalation and cessation of hostilities between the two member states.
The convening of the special meeting reflects the commitment of ASEAN member states to unity and solidarity, as well as ASEAN centrality in maintaining peace, security, stability, and prosperity in this region, in accordance with the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar in a Facebook post on Sunday said that the meeting will serve as an appropriate and constructive platform for the two countries to engage in open negotiations, resolve their differences peacefully, and work towards a just and lasting solution.
-- BERNAMA
