(Phnom Penh): Samdech Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, held a working meeting with Fiona Phillip, Chair of the Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure, and Transport of the Australian Parliament, during her official visit to Cambodia.

The meeting took place on Monday morning (Sep. 15), at the National Assembly building, following the Assembly’s deliberation and approval of a draft law to ratify an additional protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, aimed at promoting peace and regional as well as global security.

Samdech Khuon Sudary warmly welcomed the presence of the Australian parliamentary delegation, describing the visit as highly significant, particularly in the context of inter-parliamentary cooperation between Cambodia and Australia, as well as the strengthening and expansion of their existing strong bilateral relations.

She emphasized Cambodia’s deep commitment to peace, citing the country’s painful history of decades-long war and its profound understanding of the suffering caused by conflict. Cambodia has consistently engaged with the international community in promoting and safeguarding peace, recognizing that peace is the foundation for development. Because of this commitment to peace both nationally and regionally, Cambodia firmly adheres to the United Nations Charter and principles of international law, especially peaceful coexistence with neighbouring countries through the spirit of "Good Neighbourliness, Traditional Friendship, Comprehensive and Long-Lasting Cooperation" in resolving disputes with Thailand.

The National Assembly president further stressed Cambodia’s firm commitment to the ceasefire, aiming to resolve border issues through peaceful dialogue. This follows the spirit of the special meeting held on 28 July 2025 in Kuala Lumpur. She underscored that implementing the ceasefire, building long-term peace, and restoring good neighbourly relations require enhanced effectiveness in deploying observation teams.

In response, Fiona Phillip expressed her gratitude to the National Assembly president for taking time out of her busy schedule to warmly welcome the Australian delegation. During their short visit, the delegation also toured Siem Reap Province.

Phillip briefed the National Assembly president on Australia’s multifaceted cooperation with Cambodia, highlighting the ongoing deployment of Australian volunteers who annually serve in Cambodia in sectors such as healthcare, education, community development, skills training for children and women affected by violence, gender equality education, and capacity-building for indigenous communities.

She also praised Cambodia’s notable progress and achievements, particularly the recently inaugurated state-of-the-art international airport, which drew significant attention. Fiona Phillip expressed full support for the National Assembly president’s emphasis on the value of peace.

National Assembly President Khuon Sudary reaffirmed Cambodia’s support for past memorandums of understanding and bilateral agreements made between the governments of Cambodia and Australia.

On behalf of the Cambodian National Assembly and the entire Cambodian people, President Khuon Sudary expressed deep gratitude to the Australian government, parliament, and people for their moral and material support in contributing to Cambodia’s peacekeeping and development efforts. She encouraged Australia to explore further investment opportunities and enhance development cooperation, particularly in trade, economy, education, technology, and tourism, and called for the establishment of direct flights between Cambodia and Australia.
=FRESH NEWS