MGR Online — Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian Senate, has confirmed his plan to visit Russia, while also hinting at preparations to welcome President Vladimir Putin in the near future, even though no specific date has yet been set.
The announcement was made during a meeting with Andrey Rudenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, who also held talks with Prime Minister Hun Manet and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn during an official visit to Phnom Penh.
Chea Theary, spokesperson for the Senate, said that both sides viewed the visit as a reflection of the longstanding relationship between Russia and Cambodia, which has now spanned 70 years.
"Rudenko said that President Vladimir Putin is awaiting Hun Sen's visit to Russia, and the Senate President replied that he is looking for a suitable date for the visit, and that he is planning to welcome President Putin's visit in the near future," Chea Theary said.
Both sides commended the growth in trade and expressed satisfaction with cross-continental cooperation, with the Cambodian leader thanking Russia for its support in human resource capacity building and Cambodia's socioeconomic development.
Earlier, Rudenko discussed trade and economic matters with Prime Minister Hun Manet, describing Cambodia as a reliable partner in the Asia-Pacific region.
He also spoke of the potential to further strengthen ties between the two countries, including in the area of education, where more than 8,000 Cambodian students have received support and scholarships to study in Russia.
Hun Manet also called for strengthened relations in the areas of trade and investment, energy, people-to-people connectivity, tourism, agriculture, security, and national defence, in order to elevate cooperation across all dimensions.
During this visit, Rudenko also co-chaired with Prak Sokhonn the 3rd Cambodia-Russia Bilateral Political Consultations, at which senior officials pledged to enhance cooperation in key areas, including politics, and to promote collaboration within regional and international frameworks such as the United Nations.
