United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is pleased to see the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand work to halt fighting along the disputed border between the two countries, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN chief said at a press briefing in New York on Thursday.
The spokesperson made the remarks in response to a media query after Cambodia and Thailand reached a consensus on the details of the ceasefire and signed an agreement at the extraordinary meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) held in Malaysia Thursday.
"The secretary-general is pleased at the efforts by the leadership in Cambodia and Thailand to halt all fighting and he hopes that they will continue to be in dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries," Haq said.
According to a joint statement following the talks hosted at the Malaysian Ministry of Defense, both sides agreed to a ceasefire involving all types of weapons, pledging to avoid unprovoked firing towards each other's positions or troops, and agreed not to increase force strengths along the border.
Armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai forces erupted on July 24 along their border. The two countries agreed to a ceasefire on the afternoon of July 28, which took effect at midnight on the same day.
UN chief pleased to see efforts by Cambodia, Thailand to halt fighting: spokesperson
The organizing committee of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games has unveiled the titles, creative visions, and first talents of the opening and closing ceremonies, as Thursday marked 50 days before the event officially gets underway.
Scheduled from March 6 to 15 across multiple Italian cities, the Games will bring together 665 athletes from 50 countries and regions to compete for 79 gold medals across six sporting disciplines.
The opening ceremony, titled "Life in Motion," will be staged at the historic Arena di Verona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, presenting a tribute to change and transformation that seeks to redefine disability through a new harmony between people and the environment.
"I paid close attention to the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, which I consider one of the three or four most beautiful in the history of Olympic ceremonies. This time at the ancient Arena di Verona, we will place greater emphasis on showcasing the human element," the ceremonies' artistic director Alfredo Accatino told a Chinese reporter at the event.
The closing ceremony, themed "Italian Souvenir," will be held on March 15 at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, guiding athletes, volunteers, and fans through a journey that captures the emotions and memories of the Games after days of competition and achievement.
Craig Spence, the International Paralympic Committee's Chief Brand and Communications Officer, believes that Italy will deliver "the best Paralympic Games" following the benchmark set by the Beijing Winter Paralympics in 2022.
"I think what China did in Beijing has really set the benchmark for all future teams competing in the Paralympic Winter Games in terms of performance. That's why I think Milano-Cortina will be the best Paralympic Games we've ever seen for sports," he said.
Milano-Cortina Paralympics reveal opening, closing themes as Games draw near
