Cambodian, Malaysian Army Chiefs Reaffirm Support for Peaceful Regional Conflict Resolution

The military chiefs of Cambodia and Malaysia have reaffirmed their unwavering support for the peaceful resolution of regional conflicts. Both nations agreed that disputes within the region should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and in accordance with international law. On Thursday, July 09, Gen. Vong Pisen, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), and Gen. Tan Sri Malek Razak Sulaiman, Chief of Malaysia's Defence Force, held a bilateral meeting. Gen. Vong Pisen stated that this meeting is an important step in further enhancing the long-standing friendship and cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries. 2026 marks the 69th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Malaysia. Gen. Vong Pisen expressed his gratitude for Malaysia's contribution to peace in Cambodia during the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) mission in 1993, as well as its constructive role in facilitating efforts to address the Cambodia–Thailand border situation in 2025, including its initiative to establish the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT). The Cambodian Commander-in-Chief reaffirmed Cambodia's consistent position of resolving border issues through peaceful means based on international law and relevant agreements, stressing that the Kingdom rejects the use of force to alter internationally recognised borders. During the meeting, the Cambodian side proposed accelerating the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation, expanding collaboration among all branches of the armed forces, increasing training exchanges and joint military exercises, enhancing intelligence and information sharing, strengthening cooperation against transnational crime, and continuing support for the AOT. For his part, Gen. Tan Sri Malek Razak Sulaiman expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality extended by the Cambodian side, saying that his visit was aimed at further strengthening the long-standing relationship between the two militaries. He also commended the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces for exercising restraint despite the sensitive security situation along the Cambodia–Thailand border. The Malaysian military chief reaffirmed Malaysia's strong support for the peaceful settlement of differences between Cambodia and Thailand through dialogue, including the General Border Committee (GBC) and the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), while underscoring ASEAN centrality in addressing regional issues. He emphasized that the use of force is not a viable solution to disputes and pledged Malaysia's continued support for the AOT in monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire and contributing to lasting peace and stability along the Cambodia-Thailand border and across the ASEAN region. By Heng Panha