Cambodia-Thailand border clash a major setback for Asean: Vivian

He says disputes are not uncommon, but violence reflects a failure of leadership

- Hariz Baharudin

The recent armed clash between Cambodia and Thailand was a setback not only for peace in the region, but also Asean's credibility, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

The territorial dispute raised questions about Asean's ability to prevent and manage crises, and Dr Balakrishnan said while such disputes are not uncommon in Southeast Asia, he emphasised that violence can be avoided.

When it does occur, it reflects a failure of leadership, said Dr Balakrishnan, who also cautioned against letting matters deteriorate into catastrophe, as the region faces rising geopolitical tensions and an increasingly fragmented global economic landscape.

Speaking at the 17th Asean and Asia Forum organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs on Aug 5, Dr Balakrishnan described the Cambodia-Thailand conflict as a serious blow for the grouping.

"There's no need to put lipstick on this. This is a setback, a major setback, not just for peace and stability, but for credibility in Asean," he told an audience of about 300 diplomats, academics and business leaders at the Parkroyal on Beach Road.

Countries in the region have long lived with unresolved territorial disputes between them, which Dr Balakrishnan noted "is not a short list". But he stressed that the existence of such disputes does not mean they must result in violence.

"Just because you have got areas which have not yet been delimited or which are in contention, does not mean it has to lead to violence, and the fact that violence occurs is a failure of diplomacy, and arguably complicated when leadership is hamstrung," he said.

The solution, said Dr Balakrishnan, is for nations to first take care of their own societies – a point he has often made by emphasising that foreign policy begins at home.