“The Guns Must be Silenced”from George Yeo's 27 July 2025 FB

Title: Statement by the Amity Circle on the outbreak of armed clashes between Cambodia and Thailand

1. Southeast Asia’s long decades of peace – the strategic trust and amity that countries of ASEAN have earnestly built and nurtured between them – have been broken. The guns and mortars are no longer silent. Unlike conflict situations internal to Member States, the recent outbreak of armed clashes is between two of ASEAN’s Member States – Cambodia and Thailand.

2. Its gravity cannot thus be exaggerated. It is fundamentally inconsistent with the treaty commitment within the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) and the ASEAN Charter for the settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful means, as well as the renunciation of the threat or the use of force.

3. The armed clashes must be quickly brought to an end, without prejudice to the principled position of the two sides on the underlying issues. Conditions conducive for dialogue and amicable solution must be secured.

4. A surge for diplomacy is needed. To prevent the armed clashes from escalating into further violence, to be directly informed of the views of both sides and in accordance with the provision of the ASEAN Charter, a special ASEAN Summit should be convened.

5. Such efforts must not be consumed by debate about forms – bilateral or regional/multilateral. ASEAN has traditionally demonstrated the dexterity, agility and resourcefulness to navigate the complexities – including political sensitivities – of conflict situations and offer an appropriate and acceptable pathway toward negotiated solution. Such pathway was secured in 2011 when the prospect of an escalation of armed clashes between Cambodia and Thailand loomed. It is not entirely impossible to secure a similar outcome in 2025.

6. To assist and support the efforts of both sides to end the armed clashes and to initiate dialogue and negotiations, they may wish to invite – as appropriate and without prejudice to their respective position – the engagement of third party, state or individual, formally or informally.

7. In our increasingly fragmented world, Southeast Asia has been a shining exception. Benefitting from peace dividend, it is a region positively transformed. The recent outbreak of armed clashes between Cambodia and Thailand risks the painstaking gains which have made. It is inconsistent with the idea of ASEAN Community. Diplomacy must be placed front and centre. Peace waged.

---------

The Amity Circle brings together individuals from the region with policy experience in diplomacy, foreign policy, trade, finance and related matters, united in their conviction of the efficacy of diplomacy, negotiation and dialogue. Marty Natalegawa is its Founder/Convenor. Its members/participants - including Syed Hamid Albar, Delia D. Albert, Anifah Bin Aman, Helen Clark, Noeleen Heyzer, Robert Hill, Yoriko Kawaguchi, Kim Sung-hwan, Lim Hwee Hua, Kasit Piromya, Hassan Wirajuda and George Yeo - associate themselves with the present statement in their personal capacity.

《砲火必須止息》——來自楊榮文（George Yeo）於2025年7月27日臉書的分享

標題：和誼圈對柬埔寨與泰國爆發武裝衝突的聲明

1.東南亞歷經數十年的和平——東協國家之間苦心經營與培養的戰略互信與友誼——已被打破。砲聲與槍聲不再沉寂。與會員國內部的衝突情況不同，這次的武裝衝突爆發於兩個東協成員國之間——柬埔寨與泰國。

2.衝突的嚴重性不可低估。此舉從根本上違背了《東南亞友好合作條約》（TAC）以及《東協憲章》中所承諾的以和平方式解決分歧與爭端的原則，並明確反對以武力或武力威脅解決問題。

3.必須迅速終止這場武裝衝突，同時不損及雙方在根本問題上的原則立場。必須創造有利於對話與和平解決的條件。

4.現在急需展開外交行動。為了防止衝突升級為更大規模的暴力事件，並為直接瞭解雙方立場，依據《東協憲章》的規定，應召開一次特別東協高峰會。

5.此等努力不應陷入關於形式（雙邊或區域／多邊）爭論的泥沼。東協向來展現出靈活、敏捷與足智多謀的特質，能夠處理衝突情境中的各種複雜性——包括政治敏感性——並提出適當且可接受的談判解決方案。2011年，當柬泰之間爆發武裝衝突升級的風險迫在眉睫時，東協即曾成功找到解決途徑。2025年要再次實現此一成果，並非全無可能。

6.為協助與支持雙方終結武裝衝突，展開對話與談判，他們可酌情考慮——在不損及各自立場的前提下——邀請第三方國家或個人，以正式或非正式方式參與協助。

7.在這個日益分裂的世界中，東南亞一直是一道耀眼的例外。得益於和平紅利，本區域發生了積極的轉型。如今柬泰武裝衝突的爆發，正危及這些來之不易的成果，與東協共同體的理念背道而馳。外交必須被置於核心位置。和平應成為行動的方向。

關於和誼圈（The Amity Circle）

和誼圈匯聚了來自本區域，具備外交、對外政策、貿易、金融及相關領域政策經驗的人士，因共同相信外交、談判與對話的效力而結合。其創辦人兼召集人為馬蒂·納塔勒加瓦（Marty Natalegawa）。本聲明的簽署人／參與者包括：Syed Hamid Albar、Delia D. Albert、Anifah Bin Aman、Helen Clark、Noeleen Heyzer、Robert Hill、Yoriko Kawaguchi、Kim Sung-hwan、林慧華、Kasit Piromya、Hassan Wirajuda，以及楊榮文（George Yeo）——他們皆以個人身份表示支持。

愛墾評註：泰柬邊界事變，不只是東協的內部問題，更是南海風雲的延伸；不論是從事商業、文創還是文教，沒有近憂之時，也不妨長遠思考：一切真的是那麼理所當然嗎？——以上為新加坡前外長楊榮文准將的帖文內容。（原文以英文發表，中文為AI翻譯，有誤請指正。）