Reuters
Thailand and Cambodia plan to rebuild mutual trust and gradually consolidate a ceasefire after weeks of border clashes, Beijing said in a communique with the two countries following talks in southwestern China.
The Southeast Asian neighbours on Saturday ended weeks of fierce fighting that killed at least 101 people and displaced more than half a million with their second ceasefire since late October.
Thailand and Cambodia's top diplomats travelled to the Chinese province of Yunnan for trilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss the border situation on Sunday and Monday.
In a meeting with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts, Wang called the ceasefire "hard-won," and urged the two nations not to abandon it halfway or allow fighting to resume.
"An important consensus was reached," Wang said, according to a statement released by his ministry.
Thailand and Cambodia will "rebuild political mutual trust, achieve a turnaround in relations, and maintain regional peace," according to a joint communique released by the Chinese ministry.
Thailand's foreign ministry said after the talks that it saw "the need to gradually build mutual trust and confidence between the two governments and peoples".
"Thailand reiterated that adjustment on relations should be done on a step by step basis," a statement from the ministry said.
It also said Thailand would "consider the release of 18 soldiers after the 72-hour ceasefire observation period and request that Cambodia facilitate the return of Thais along the border."
Thai and Cambodian defence officials joined the talks in China, with diplomats and defence officials from the two countries holding a number of bilateral meetings.
Cambodian foreign minister Prak Sokhonn told local media after the talks in China that there would be "open communication" between foreign and defence ministers "to rebuild trust".
"We are open communications to avoid small issues from getting bigger, so that the relationship between the militaries can be handled smoothly," he said.
The Southeast Asian neighbours on Saturday ended weeks of fierce fighting that killed at least 101 people and displaced more than half a million with their second ceasefire since late October.
Thailand and Cambodia's top diplomats travelled to the Chinese province of Yunnan for trilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss the border situation on Sunday and Monday.
In a meeting with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts, Wang called the ceasefire "hard-won," and urged the two nations not to abandon it halfway or allow fighting to resume.
"An important consensus was reached," Wang said, according to a statement released by his ministry.
Thailand and Cambodia will "rebuild political mutual trust, achieve a turnaround in relations, and maintain regional peace," according to a joint communique released by the Chinese ministry.
Thailand's foreign ministry said after the talks that it saw "the need to gradually build mutual trust and confidence between the two governments and peoples".
"Thailand reiterated that adjustment on relations should be done on a step by step basis," a statement from the ministry said.
It also said Thailand would "consider the release of 18 soldiers after the 72-hour ceasefire observation period and request that Cambodia facilitate the return of Thais along the border."
Thai and Cambodian defence officials joined the talks in China, with diplomats and defence officials from the two countries holding a number of bilateral meetings.
Cambodian foreign minister Prak Sokhonn told local media after the talks in China that there would be "open communication" between foreign and defence ministers "to rebuild trust".
"We are open communications to avoid small issues from getting bigger, so that the relationship between the militaries can be handled smoothly," he said.
