KUALA LUMPUR: Asean foreign ministers have urged both Thailand and Cambodia to pursue a ceasefire and return to the negotiating table amid escalating tensions along their shared border.

In a statement issued yesterday, the ministers urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from taking any actions that may undermine a ceasefire.

The ministers voiced grave concern over the escalating conflict, which has led to mounting casualties on both sides, damage to public property, and the large-scale displacement of communities along the border.

The bloc said that disputes must be settled by peaceful means, based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) and the Asean Charter.

Featured Videos

"We remain supportive of the efforts of the Asean Chair in facilitating both sides to resume dialogue and end the fighting," the statement concluded.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he will meet the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand in Putrajaya today to discuss a ceasefire over their ongoing conflict.

He said the talks will be held at his official residence in the Seri Perdana Complex at 3pm.

Both the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Cambodia have previously agreed in principal to mediation and personally contacted Anwar to express their appreciation for Malaysia's initiative. However, violence continues along the border.

The Southeast Asian neighbours have been locked in their bloodiest conflict in years over this dispute, with at least 34 people confirmed dead and more than 200,000 displaced.