00:00ASEAN has helped broker a rare ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand,
00:05bringing both sides along with the US and China to the same table.
00:09Is this one of ASEAN's strongest moments in crisis diplomacy?
00:13And is Malaysia showing what middle power leadership can look like?
00:17Joining us now is Dr. Rustam Van Su,
00:20lecturer of Conflict and Peace Studies at Prince of Songkla University.
00:24Thank you so much, Doctor.
00:26Right, Doctor, from Thailand's perspective,
00:28what were the key factors that led to this ceasefire agreement
00:31and how does Bangkok actually view ASEAN's role and Malaysia's role
00:35in mediation in resolving the conflict?
00:41Yes, I say congratulations for both parties.
00:47Now we can reach to a ceasefire agreement.
00:50At least we can save the life of people on the both sides
00:59and to stop the loss of life from this border class
01:05between Thailand and Cambodia.
01:08I think in Thailand, for Thai people now,
01:14we certify with these ceasefire agreements
01:18hosted by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia
01:24on the platform of ASEAN.
01:27I think the reason why both parties can reach an agreement this time,
01:33I think at least it was a win-win for both of them.
01:39For Thailand, we can keep the ceasefire between the two countries.
01:49This means it did not become, you know, a bigger international issue.
01:55Thailand was able to get Cambodia to talk directly.
01:59Both leaders and military chiefs
02:02and get back to the General Border Committee or GBC meetings.
02:07And another for Thailand is we can decrease the military threat from Cambodia.
02:16And Thailand showed its good defense itself.
02:19This should make Cambodia think twice before using its military against Thailand again.
02:25But for Cambodia, what I consider a win for Cambodia is that
02:31Cambodia getting a ceasefire because of, you know,
02:35the Asian push for East.
02:38By this way, Cambodia didn't have to look like it was giving up
02:44or surrendering to the Thai army.
02:48Right.
02:49And, yeah, and before we can observe that,
02:54Cambodia tried to take this issue to the UNSC.
03:00Or we can say Cambodia tried to internationalize these conflicts.
03:05But it looked like it cannot success or it failed
03:11because the UNSC looked like it did not agree with what Cambodia would like to do.
03:20So the UNSC pushed this thing back to ASEAN.
03:24Right, doctor.
03:25So when we talk about crisis diplomacy,
03:28now ASEAN managed to bring both parties,
03:30even superpowers like the US and China were present today.
03:33So in your view, is this ceasefire agreement
03:36one of ASEAN's strongest examples of managing a regional crisis
03:40through diplomacy and also peaceful coexistence?
03:46Yet it is a strong example.
03:49ASEAN effectively mediated bilateral ceasefire,
03:54demonstrating its diplomatic capacity and central role
04:00in peaceful and regional crisis management,
04:04even amidst superpower interests.
04:07But in my observation is that ASEAN may be an effective group,
04:14ASEAN may be, you know, successful in resolve the conflict
04:20between, you know, the country members of ASEAN
04:25or between the conflict between state to state.
04:28But we can observe that the conflict inside state,
04:33like in case of Myanmar,
04:35the civil war in Myanmar or before it's Rohingya case,
04:39ASEAN look like have, you know,
04:43have really limited ability to cope with this kind of issue.
04:48Yes.
04:50Right.
04:50Doctor, what does Malaysia's role as mediators say
04:54about the influence and potential of middle powers
04:56in leading regional peace efforts?
05:00Yes, I appreciate Malaysian role,
05:03especially the role of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
05:08Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim,
05:10he has a very good relation with ASEAN leaders
05:13and also with Thailand also.
05:17And by himself, by his personal relation also in Thailand.
05:22And I observe his, you know, charismatic leadership
05:27as a head or a leader of ASEAN country nowadays.
05:34So Malaysia's role highlight that medium power can be crucial,
05:40trusted and effective mediators in regional peace efforts
05:46and leveraging the neutrality and relationship to facilitate agreement.
05:56So this is what Malaysian role.
05:58and after that degree,
06:00the Lincoln House is the 15th anniversary of
06:08the U.S.
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