What does the ‘Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord’ actually amount to?published at 07:10 GMT
07:10 GMT
Jonathan Head
BBC South East Asia Correspondent
Image source, EPA
It was, as everyone knew it would be, all about President Trump.
He literally towered over everyone else at the ceremony in Kuala Lumpur where Cambodia and Thailand signed their agreement. He gave the longest speech, and made the biggest claims.
It was all superlatives. “This is a momentous day for South East Asia,” said the US president. “A monumental step”.
But what does the ‘Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord’, as President Trump has renamed it, actually amount to?
Remember, both countries signed a ceasefire back in July. That too was helped, or at least accelerated, by pressure from Trump. Looking at the details of the latest deal, though, it isn’t much of leap forward.
The two countries have agreed to withdraw their heavy weapons from the disputed border, and to establish an interim observer team to monitor it.
They have a new procedure for clearing landmines, and will set up what they call a joint task force to address the proliferation of scam centres. They will replace missing border markers with temporary ones.
This is progress, and Thai diplomats have told me they do feel President Trump’s involvement may help these agreements stick. But the historic differences over the border remain unresolved, and at risk of flaring up again.
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