Singapore’s Foreign Minister to Address Thailand-Cambodia Border Dispute at ASEAN Meeting

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, is set to attend a special meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, December 22. The focus of this gathering will be the ongoing border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand.

Promoting Regional Peace and Stability

The meeting, which will be chaired by Malaysia, the current ASEAN Chair, underscores the bloc’s commitment to fostering peace and stability in the region. Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) expressed profound concern regarding the situation at the Thai-Cambodia border.

The MFA stated, “We welcome the efforts of the ASEAN Chair, external partners, and any bilateral channels that Cambodia and Thailand may pursue to de-escalate the conflict in a spirit of ASEAN solidarity and good neighborliness.”

Accompanied by MFA Officials

Minister Balakrishnan will be joined by officials from the MFA during this crucial meeting.

This special gathering serves as a follow-up to an earlier agreement reached on December 11, where Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with his counterparts from Thailand and Cambodia.

ASEAN Leadership Transition

Currently, Malaysia holds the chairmanship of ASEAN, a role that will transition to the Philippines in January.