The immediate and unconditional ceasefire agreed by Thailand and Cambodia not only reflects the strength of Asean's convening power but also the constructive engagement of its partners in safeguarding regional stability, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In his policy speech on Asean delivered at the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta on Tuesday (July 29), Anwar, who is also the current chairman of the bloc, said such an episode has served as a vital reaffirmation of the values that have served the Asean region well.
00:00Despite the dangerous and escalating situation, it was both vital and possible to bring the two
00:08sides to the negotiating table. And the lead up to the meeting, I spoke to both leaders
00:13repeatedly, and to my other colleagues in ASEAN. Took care to listen to their perspectives,
00:20and it takes a lot of patience to listen. But I'm listening to not only to Prime Ministers,
00:32but to friends, to family friends actually, which is again a unique feature within ASEAN.
00:40We can converse, we can exchange, have exchanges as true friends. And of course we have the
00:48Secretariat, we have the Foreign Minister and the entire staff of the Foreign Ministry, who
00:54continuously urge their counterpart to reach an amicable resolution to the conflict. At
01:03least a common ground in the interest of ensuring no more lives were lost. Now with the participation
01:12of the United States, and President Donald Trump himself engaging directly with both Prime
01:22Ministers, that would of course further encourage and help facilitate that arrangement. And then
01:30China, the active participation to help facilitate the two sides to agree to an immediate and unconditional
01:41ceasefire. Now, so I commend Prime Minister Hun Maret of Cambodia, and I thank Prime Minister
01:49Pom Tan of Thailand for their statesmanship, as well to President Trump, President Xi Jinping,
01:58and the Chinese leadership for their constructive engagement. I have chosen to invite not only the two leaders
02:06from Cambodia and Thailand from Cambodia and Thailand, but to keep the United States representative
02:12to my right and China to my left. It was a remarkable feat that not many regions can do, but we did the ASEAN
02:21way. Principal centrality to engage, give the respect, and need their support to ensure the peaceful resolution to the conflict.
02:34Now, the presence and cooperation of all parties reaffirm that peace is best achieved through dialogue,
02:42mutual respect, and a shared commitment to stability. This episode has served as a vital reaffirmation of the values that have served our region well.
02:54Now, by continuing to uphold the ASEAN charter and the treaty of amity and cooperation, we can strengthen the peace dividend,
03:04ensuring ASEAN remains a community of trust, cooperation, and shared prosperity for generations to come.
