President Trump on Sunday attended a ceremony to formalize a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia to put to rest a border dispute, giving the president a platform to bolster his image as a global peacemaker.
“On behalf of the U.S., I’m proud to help settle this conflict and forge a future for the region,” Trump said at the ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he was attending meetings for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.
Trump was joined by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul for the event, which formalized an agreement the U.S. president helped broker earlier this year. Malaysia also played a central role in mediating the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
The agreement covers issues that include withdrawing heavy weapons from the border of the two countries and new guidelines to address accusations of encroachment at the boundary. The agreement also calls for Thailand to release 18 detained Cambodian soldiers.
Trump has bragged about settling the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia as one of several clashes he takes credit for ending, though other regional mediators have often been involved. Trump has pointed to his role in helping to end strife between India and Pakistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Israel and Iran and others.
“We did something that a lot of people said couldn’t be done,” Trump said Sunday, calling it a “momentous day for South East Asia.”
The Cambodian prime minister said he would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, something the country had said it would do in August.
The peace signing ceremony kicked off what is expected to be a packed week in Asia for Trump that will largely focus on trade talks and economic deals.
