00:00Despite the dangerous and escalating situation, it was both vital and possible to bring the two
00:08sides to the negotiating table. And the lead up to the meeting, I spoke to both leaders
00:13repeatedly, and to my other colleagues in ASEAN. Took care to listen to their perspectives,
00:20and it takes a lot of patience to listen. But I'm listening to not only to Prime Ministers,
00:32but to friends, to family friends actually, which is again a unique feature within ASEAN.
00:40We can converse, we can exchange, have exchanges as true friends. And of course we have the
00:48Secretariat, we have the Foreign Minister and the entire staff of the Foreign Ministry, who
00:54continuously urge their counterpart to reach an amicable resolution to the conflict. At
01:03least a common ground in the interest of ensuring no more lives were lost. Now with the participation
01:12of the United States, and President Donald Trump himself engaging directly with both Prime
01:22Ministers, that would of course further encourage and help facilitate that arrangement. And then
01:30China, the active participation to help facilitate the two sides to agree to an immediate and unconditional
01:41ceasefire. Now, so I commend Prime Minister Hun Maret of Cambodia, and I thank Prime Minister
01:49Pom Tan of Thailand for their statesmanship, as well to President Trump, President Xi Jinping,
01:58and the Chinese leadership for their constructive engagement. I have chosen to invite not only the two leaders
02:06from Cambodia and Thailand from Cambodia and Thailand, but to keep the United States representative
02:12to my right and China to my left. It was a remarkable feat that not many regions can do, but we did the ASEAN
02:21way. Principal centrality to engage, give the respect, and need their support to ensure the peaceful resolution to the conflict.
02:34Now, the presence and cooperation of all parties reaffirm that peace is best achieved through dialogue,
02:42mutual respect, and a shared commitment to stability. This episode has served as a vital reaffirmation of the values that have served our region well.
02:54Now, by continuing to uphold the ASEAN charter and the treaty of amity and cooperation, we can strengthen the peace dividend,
03:04ensuring ASEAN remains a community of trust, cooperation, and shared prosperity for generations to come.
Comments