The matter has caused armed conflicts and skirmishes between both sides in the past year.
On Thursday (May 7), Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states Cambodia and Thailand have made progress during talks facilitated by the country.
Speaking after a trilateral meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on the sidelines of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Marcos said the discussions reflected a shared commitment to dialogue, restraint, and the peaceful resolution of differences.
“During this meeting, I would venture to say that many subjects have been covered, some agreements have been reached, and ways forward have been discussed,” Marcos said.
He also added that both leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining open and direct communication, exercising restraint, and avoiding actions that could escalate tensions along the Cambodia-Thailand border.
“I believe this was possible because of a very clear, fervent belief by both leaders that it is the time for peace and no longer the time for war,” President Marcos said, adding that the foreign ministers of both countries have been tasked to continue to hold “open and candid” dialogue to preserve peace and stability between the two nations.
President Marcos also welcomed the extension of the mandate of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) for another three months and affirmed the Philippines commitment to play a positive role as the AOT Coordinator.
Moreover, he also emphasized the importance of the AOT mechanism in monitoring and verifying agreements reached by both sides. “We express our confidence in the ability of both Cambodia and Thailand to resolve the matter amicably and to manage their border differences peacefully in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity and unity,” the President said.
Marcos also stressed that the meeting demonstrated ASEAN’s principles of mutual respect, solidarity, and peaceful settlement of disputes.
He also added that the regional bloc “remains committed to supporting dialogue and confidence-building efforts between the two countries.”
Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet commended President Marcos’ “constructive” leadership in promoting regional peace, stability, and unity.
For his part, Thai Prime Minister Anutin expressed appreciation to Marcos for organizing the meeting and facilitating frank and candid discussions between both sides.
Both leaders said they agreed to continue pursuing peace through dialogue and that their foreign ministers will work on more detailed confidence-building measures and sustained diplomatic engagement moving forward.