Phnom Penh (FN), Jun. 4 – Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defence of the United States, expressed his commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation in the defence sector.

Lloyd Austin held a bilateral talk with Cambodian Minister of National Defence Tea Seiha on Tuesday (Jun. 4) at the Ministry.

Minister Tea Seiha thanked the US Government for its support to the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Army, and Cambodian citizens in the rehabilitation and socioeconomic development of the kingdom. He particularly appreciated the efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, including Cambodian peacekeepers, in carrying out UN peacekeeping missions.

On this occasion, Minister Tea Seiha informed Lloyd Austin that the new mandate Royal Government, under the leadership of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, prioritised the modernisation of the defence sector.

In this regard, Tea Seiha requested that Lloyd Austin continue to strengthen the Defence Policy Dialogue Group, the Bilateral Defence Dialogue Group, and the Military Cooperation Coordinating Group to closely collaborate on the action plan for Cambodian-US military cooperation. This cooperation will focus on policy dialogue and consultation, military capacity building, peacekeeping operations, and professional cooperation between the two countries' Army, Navy, and Air Force.

On the occasion, both sides expressed their joint commitment to strengthening Cambodia-US bilateral cooperation through exchange visits, peacekeeping operations, promoting the participation of women peacekeepers (Gender), and assisting in training peacekeepers, and clearing mines and unexploded ordnance.

The meeting between the two sides marks an opportunity to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two armies, benefiting both the military and the people in the future.
=FRESH NEWS