PHNOM PENH, Oct 27 — Cambodia has begun relocating its military weapons along the disputed Thai border following the signing of the historic Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord yesterday.
State media Agence Kampuchea Presse reported that the operation was conducted under the observation of the Asean Observer Team and the National Defence Ministry since last night.
The first phase of the military equipment withdrawal reached Banteay Srei District in Siem Reap province.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed the peace agreement, witnessed by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and United States President Donald Trump.
The signing took place on the sidelines of the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits, which is being held in Kuala Lumpur.
“The removal of the weapons represents the first step and a symbol of our commitment to implementing the Kuala Lumpur Joint Statement (KL Peace Accord),” said Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Gen Mali Socheata, as reported by state media today.
The accord's signing formalised an earlier ceasefire agreement reached after Cambodia and Thailand agreed to end their border conflict during the Extraordinary General Border Committee Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on August 7.
The meeting was held as a follow-up to the special meeting on July 28 in Putrajaya that stopped the five-day armed hostilities along the northern part of Cambodia.
Cambodia and Thailand have been squabbling over unmarked borders stretching 817 kilometres for decades, and the quarrel exploded into an armed conflict on July 24.
About 300,000 people were displaced on both sides of the border since tensions began.
