Vong Sokheng, The Phnom Penh Post
Wed, 18 May 2016
Cambodian officials signed eight agreements with their Russian counterparts at the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit last night, according to a post on Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Facebook page.
In an earlier post, the premier had said the visit was “aimed at strengthening relationships between the two countries … and it is a diplomatic mission in the interests of our nation”.
He is accompanied by about 10 high-ranking officials according to Sry Thamarong, a minister attached to the Prime Minister.
In a video also posted to Hun Sen’s page, representatives of the two governments can be seen signing the agreements, which Russian state media said pertained to, among other things, cooperation between the countries’ militaries and ministries of interior, and in the field of nuclear energy.
Hun Sen was quoted by Russian media saying that he wants to bring more Russian tourists to the country by starting direct flights from Moscow to Phnom Penh. Cambodian officials last month talked about dropping visa requirements for Russians.
Russian media also reported that both sides are expected to discuss “popular diplomacy”, a reference to the CPP’s agreement to be in closer contact with President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party.
Russian officials made no mention of Cambodia’s $1.5 billion debt to the former Soviet Union.
May 13 marked the 60th anniversary of Russian-Cambodian relations.
Additional reporting by Igor Kossov