US president Donald Trump has offered to attend this month’s Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur. The countries of south east Asia are hoping to negotiate, or renegotiate, punishing tariffs imposed earlier this year.
But Trump has asked for a special ceremony at the summit to preside over the peace process he allegedly initiated between Thailand and Cambodia. A border ceasefire was signed on August 7, mediated by Malaysian premier Anwar Ibrahim, after five days of intense fighting with at least 43 people killed.
Whether or not Trump will turn up if there is no accord to sign is unclear, although the US president was delighted when the Cambodian government nominated him for the Nobel peace prize. He has made no secret of his ambition to win a Nobel prize, just like a predecessor Obama, and has claimed to settle up to seven international crises in less than nine months.
Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul said his sole concern was the national interest of Thailand and good luck to anyone who got a prize out of the border dispute with Cambodia. But he explained that Cambodia was the aggressor and must first comply with Thai demands to withdraw all personnel and weapons from disputed zones and remove all illegal settlers in Thai territory.
