(MENAFN) Cambodia and Thailand have engaged in discussions to commence the initial stage of eliminating heavy and destructive armaments from their shared border regions, marking a notable move toward easing military tensions between the neighboring Southeast Asian nations.

On Friday, senior military representatives convened in Oddar Meanchey province, with an observer team stationed in both Cambodia and Thailand present to oversee, verify, and ensure the complete and effective execution of the ceasefire, according to a joint statement released by Cambodia’s Defense Ministry.

"The meeting aimed to discuss and prepare a concrete plan for the gradual and phased removal of heavy weapons from both sides, under the observation and verification of the AOT (ASEAN Observer Teams), with the joint objective of de-escalating military tension," the statement added.

Both parties committed to honoring and carrying out the accords detailed in the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Declaration, signed in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 26, as well as the results of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee's (GBC) Second Special Meeting, which took place in Malaysia on Oct. 23.

The joint statement noted that the first phase of partial withdrawal began on Oct. 26, with each side relocating two armored vehicles back to their original positions.

On Sunday, Cambodia and Thailand formalized a peace agreement in Kuala Lumpur in the presence of US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Earlier, on July 28, the two countries had agreed to an unconditional ceasefire at a trilateral meeting hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar, following several weeks of armed clashes.

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