Cambodia, France Discuss Bilateral Cooperation

Cambodia, France Discuss Bilateral Cooperation

The Kingdom of Cambodia and the French Republic have discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations and cooperation for mutual interests.

The discussion was made between H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation during the working lunch with H.E. Michel Herbillon, Member of the National Assembly of France and President of the France-Cambodia Friendship Group of the French National Assembly in Paris on Feb. 21.

“We discussed a range of issues, including Cambodia-France bilateral relations and our common interests for the Indo-Pacific region,” he wrote on his official Facebook page following the lunch.

H.E. Prak Sokhonn is currently in Paris for the Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, at the joint invitation of H.E. Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission and H.E. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France.

According to a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in his capacity as High Representative of Cambodia, Chair Country of ASEAN in 2022, H.E. Deputy Prime Minister will deliver Opening Remarks and attend the Round Table on Security and Defence. He will also take part at the meeting between France and ASEAN Foreign Ministers.

Besides H.E. Michel Herbillon, President of the France-Cambodia Friendship Group of the French National Assembly, H.E. Prak Sokhonn will have separate meetings with other high-level figures, namely the Honorable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, and H.E. Jan Lipavský, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. H.E. Deputy Prime Minister will also meet with the Cambodian Community during his stay in Paris.

On Feb. 23, H.E. Deputy Prime Minister will pay an official visit to Germany at the invitation of H.E. Ms. Annalena Baerbock, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany. The visit, a first by a Cambodian Foreign Minister in 27 years, is aimed at reinforcing the excellent relations of friendship and cordial cooperation between the two countries. H.E. Deputy Prime Minister will also meet with the Cambodian Community during his stay in Berlin.

H.E. Prak Sokhonn will then pay an official visit to Turkey on Feb. 28. He will hold official talks with his Turkish counterpart H.E. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, during which the Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income and the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Protocol will be signed.

The two Foreign Ministers will join the Inauguration Ceremony of the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Ankara and co-host Dinner with the ASEAN Ambassadors in Ankara. AKP