KUALA LUMPUR
\nSoutheast Asian foreign ministers met Monday in Malaysia for crisis talks aimed at halting deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, which pressed on despite regional and international diplomacy.Renewed fighting this month has killed at least 22 people in Thailand and 19 in Cambodia, and displaced more than 900,000 on both sides, officials said.
\nMalaysia, which chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), expressed hope the talks in Kuala Lumpur would help achieve a lasting ceasefire between the two countries, both bloc members. Speaking at the start of Monday\u2019s meeting, Malaysia\u2019s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan urged the feuding neighbours and other ASEAN representatives to \u201cgive this matter our most urgent attention.\u201d
\n\u201cWe must consider the wider ramifications of the continued escalation of the situation for the people we serve,\u201d Mohamad said.
\nLast week, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said ASEAN\u2019s duty \u201cis to present the facts, but more importantly, to press upon them (Thailand and Cambodia) that it is imperative for them to secure peace.\u201d
\nThailand\u2019s National Security Council secretary-general Chatchai Bangchuad on Monday acknowledged international efforts at the ASEAN meeting in Kuala Lumpur, but insisted \u201cthe process should be bilateral between Thailand and Cambodia\u201d.
\nMeanwhile Phnom Penh\u2019s defence ministry said the fighting continued early Monday with Thailand firing artillery shells into Cambodian territory, wounding one civilian.
\nThe violence shattered a fragile truce reached after five days of clashes in July, mediated by the US, China and Malaysia.
\nIn October, US President Donald Trump backed a follow-on declaration touting trade deals after they agreed to prolong the truce.
\nEach side has blamed the other for instigating the clashes, claiming self-defence and trading accusations of attacks on civilians.On Sunday, both Cambodia and Thailand said Monday\u2019s gathering could help de-escalate tensions. Both governments have confirmed they would send their top diplomats to the meeting. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KUALA LUMPUR Southeast Asian foreign ministers met Monday in Malaysia for crisis talks aimed at halting deadly border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, which pressed on despite regional and international diplomacy.Renewed fighting this month has killed at least 22 people in Thailand and 19 in Cambodia, and displaced more than 900,000 on both sides, officials […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":521564,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-521545","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n