Phnom Penh (FN), June 17 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn, Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak, and other senior government officials, made an official visit to Hungary and attended the 5th Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Republic of Tajikistan from 13-15 June 2019.
Read Hungary country profile by BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17380792)
On 13 June 2019, Cambodian students and citizens settling in Hungary since 1982 warmly welcomed Prime Minister.
In the afternoon, Prime Minister Hun Sen held a two-hour meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who firmly supported Cambodia in advocating to prevent the temporary withdrawal of the Kingdom’s access to EU's Everything But Arms preferential trade scheme. He stated that Hungary does not support the idea of mixing political issues with economic matters, according to Kao Kim Hourn, delegate minister attached to prime minister.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen thanked Hungary for the support it has pledged. Both exchanged views on EU situation following the recent elections. They also expressed interest on EU-ASEAN cooperation.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán agreed to re-open the embassy in 2021, marking the 65th anniversary of Cambodia-Hungary diplomatic relations. Prime Minister also requested Viktor Orbán to help restore Koh Ker temple located in Preah Vihear’s Kulen district.
After the meeting, Cambodia-Hungary signed three agreements, including:
(1) Agreement between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Government of Hungary on Economic Cooperation; (2) Education Exchange Program between the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the Ministry of Human Resources of Hungary for 2020-2022; and (3) a Memorandum of Understanding on Human Resource Development Cooperation between Cambodian National Institute of Tourism and the University of Milton Friedman University in Hungary.
In the morning of 14 June, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen thanked Hungary for supporting the kingdom to maintain EU's Everything But Arms preferential trade scheme in a just manner, speaking in a courtesy call on Hungarian President Janos Ader.
The president thanks Cambodian premier for the first official visit, stating that the visit contributes to strengthening Cambodia-Hungary relations. Both also exchanged views on climate change and natural resource management.
Cambodia and Hungary established diplomatic ties on 20 September 1956 but was interrupted Phnom Penh fell into Khmer Rouge regime in 1975. Reopening the embassy 2021 will strengthen the bilateral relations and expand comprehensive cooperation on economic, trade and tourism sectors.
After that, Prime Minister met Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary László Kövér, who wished to see a strengthened relations and cooperation between Cambodia-Hungary National Assembly.
"Hungary will continue to strengthen all-sector cooperation, particularly tourism, education, culture, and people-to-people ties," he stated.
Prime Minister conveyed felicitations to Hungary for winning the elections.
The premier invited László Kövér for another official visit to the kingdom and to attend the ASEM 2020 in Phnom Penh. He also requested Hungary to sign MoU on expanding cooperation between the National Assembly of both countries.
In the afternoon on 14 June, the premier met his granddaughter who flied to see him in Hungary all the way from France.
Before leaving, the premier thanked Hungary for supporting the kingdom to maintain EBA trade scheme.
The premier left Hungary for Tajikistan for the 5th Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).
The special flight of the kingdom landed in Dushanbe, Tajikistan at 6:55 local time. Read Tajikistan country profile (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16201032)
In the morning of 15 June 2019, Prime Minister paid a courtesy call on Emomali Rahmon, President of Tajikistan. Both sides agreed on three initiatives to strengthen the relations and cooperation, including:
(1) Sending ambassadors to both respective countries, which Prime Minister appointed Cambodian Ambassador to Russia as Ambassador to Tajikistan.
(2) Establishing a memorandum of understanding for political consultation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the two countries; in particular, prioritizing cooperation on economic, trade, investment, culture and tourism, etc.
(3) Exchanging visits of senior delegations.
In the afternoon of 15 June, Prime Minister attended the 5th Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) with the presences of delegations of 27 CICA member states and 13 observers.
CICA leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and universally recognized norms and principles of international law, upholding the objectives and principles of CICA enshrined in the Declaration on the Principles Guiding Relations among CICA Member States of 14 September 1999 and the Almaty Act of 4 June 2002;
Prime Minister delivered keynote address by highlighting CICA's strengths, focusing on confidence-building measures and huge potential for trade, investment, and tourism cooperation. Cambodia seeks more trade and investment opportunities with all CICA member countries, particularly on SMEs, through information exchange and connectivity in all sectors. In this spirit, Prime Minister suggested the conference to work closely with "Belt and Road Initiatives", which would obviously provide a good opportunity for CICA member states to accelerate regional connectivity and strengthen logistics and transportation systems.
Leaders of the CICA also emphasized the importance of common, comprehensive, cooperative, sustainable, indivisible and equal security based on the common understanding that has been reached so far; recognized the need for developing dialogue on a regional security architecture that is open, transparent, inclusive, evolutionary and based on universally recognized principles of international law, that creates environment, where all States co-exist peacefully and their peoples live in conditions of peace, freedom and prosperity.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen met H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, president of the Republic of Turkey. Both pledged to promote Cambodia-Turkey trade worth to USD 1 billion, speaking in the bilateral meeting on 15 June on the sideline of the 5th CICA.
Then Prime Minister Hun Sen met Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov. Both expressed interests to send ambassadors to respective countries and embassies in the future.
Prime Minister left Kyrgyzstan for repatriation in the morning of 16 June. He arrived Phnom Penh safe at 6 p.m after official visit to Hungary and attended the 5th Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in Tajikistan.
=FRESH NEWS
