US’ Rubio hopes Thailand, Cambodia will restore truce by Dec 22 or 23

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A man inspects a damaged garage following Thai air strikes in Poipet town, in Cambodias Banteay Meanchey province.

PHOTO: AFP/AGENCE KAMPUCHEA PRESS

Summary

• US hopes for a renewed Thai-Cambodian ceasefire by early next week to end the clashes, according to Secretary Rubio.
• ASEAN foreign ministers will meet on December 22 in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the crisis.
• Conflict stems from a border dispute; renewed fighting has caused casualties and displaced 800,000 people.

AI generated

WASHINGTON - The United States hopes a renewed ceasefire will be reached by early next week to end clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Dec 19.

“We are working hard to push everybody back to compliance. And we are cautiously optimistic that we can get there by Monday or Tuesday of next week,” Mr Rubio told journalists.

Foreign ministers of the South-east Asian bloc ASEAN are

set to meet on Dec 22

Mr Rubio spoke Dec 18 by telephone with Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and said the administration would hold further conversations over the weekend.

President Donald Trump had

earlier this year claimed victory

“Both sides have made commitments in writing that they signed,” Mr Rubio said.

“Those commitments today are not being kept as a result of both sides claiming grievances against one another, and so the work now is to bring them back to the