Phnom Penh (FN), Sep. 8 – Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto expressed his commitment to strengthening relations and cooperation between Cambodia and Indonesia, particularly in boosting economic activities, including the expansion of direct flights between the two nations.
The Indonesian President-elect paid a courtesy call on Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen on 6 September 2024 at the Senate.
During the meeting, Prabowo Subianto thanked Samdech Techo for treating him as a close friend. He briefed Samdech Techo on the fruitful outcomes of his meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and extended an invitation to both Samdech Thipadei and Samdech Techo to attend his inauguration as President of Indonesia on 20 October 2024.
Prabowo Subianto praised and commended Samdech Techo as a national leader who has successfully guided Cambodia, especially through challenging times, and contributed to the country's development.
In addition, Prabowo Subianto acknowledged that he had learned a great deal from Samdech Techo's leadership experience and expressed hope that Cambodia would continue to prosper under his guidance. He noted that his short visit to Cambodia aimed to strengthen the friendship and deepen relations between Indonesia and Cambodia.
The president-elect voiced his desire to enhance economic cooperation and other forms of collaboration, including human resource development, and to encourage Cambodian youth to pursue education in Indonesia.
He also expressed his intent to further expand economic ties between the two countries and increase direct flights between major cities in both nations, facilitating people-to-people exchanges.
Prabowo Subianto pledged to further strengthen his relationship with Cambodia.
In turn, Samdech Techo congratulated Prabowo Subianto on his recent election as President of Indonesia. Samdech Techo recognized Indonesia as a long-standing friend that has made significant contributions to Cambodia, especially in its role as co-chair of the Paris Peace Agreement. Indonesia hosted key meetings between Cambodian factions and the formation of the Supreme National Council (SNC).
Samdech Techo Hun Sen expressed satisfaction with Prabowo Subianto's suggestions for enhancing friendly relations and cooperation between Cambodia and Indonesia within the ASEAN Community.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen also acknowledged the strong defense cooperation between the two countries, noting that Indonesia continues to provide training to Cambodian forces, helping to maintain peace in Cambodia and contribute to regional peace and stability.
Regarding the establishment of more direct flights between Indonesia and Cambodia, Samdech Techo stressed the importance of improving connectivity to strengthen relations. He hoped that both Indonesian and Cambodian airlines would explore flight routes between major cities to facilitate tourism from Indonesia and other countries.
In the meeting, Samdech Techo Hun Sen also encouraged Indonesia to increase trade volume, particularly in the area of food security, noting Indonesia’s need for Cambodian agricultural products, such as rice. He asked the Indonesian President-elect to consider encouraging Indonesian companies to invest in Cambodia's rice warehousing, milling, and packaging for export to Indonesia and other markets.
Regarding the invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony, Samdech Techo accepted and mentioned that if Samdech Thipadei is on duty, he would attend himself.
Both sides also discussed and exchanged views on regional issues, including the South China Sea dispute and the Myanmar crisis, sharing similar perspectives on improving peace and stability for the benefit of all people.
Lastly, Samdech Techo wished Prabowo Subianto success in his role as President of Indonesia and expressed hope for continued good relations and cooperation in promoting the ASEAN Community.
=FRESH NEWS
