The US administration will assist a peaceful resolution of the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has noted in a press statement.

“Cambodia and Thailand are scheduled to begin high level talks in Malaysia shortly in hopes of achieving an immediate ceasefire. [US] State Department officials are on the ground in Malaysia to assist these peace efforts. Both [US] President [Donald] Trump and I remain engaged with our respective counterparts for each country and are monitoring the situation very closely.  We want this conflict to end as soon as possible,” Rubio said in this statement.

Relations between Cambodia and Thailand have deteriorated ever since an armed incident on May 28. That day, Thai soldiers opened fire on a Cambodian military position located in the disputed territory between the Cambodian province of Preah Vihear and the Thai province of Ubon Ratchathani, in Techo Morakot village in Choam Ksan District. One Cambodian soldier was killed and several others were injured in the incident.