Cuba and Cambodia reinforced this Saturday their bilateral relations in the context of the visit to the island of the prime minister of the Asian country, Samdech Techo Hun Sen.
Hun Sen was received by both President Miguel Díaz-Canel and former President Raúl Castro, in meetings described as “fraternal” by the official press.
Díaz-Canel received the Cambodian premier at the Palace of the Revolution, and during the meeting, both dignitaries “discussed the positive state of bilateral ties and reiterated the will to expand cooperation in sectors such as sports, health, culture and biotechnology,” refers the website cubadebatand.
In addition, according to the Cuban president himself, the two leaders ratified “the will to strengthen friendship, solidarity and cooperation between both nations.”
I held a fraternal meeting with Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of #Cambodia. We highlight the historical nature of bilateral relations and ratify the will to strengthen friendship, solidarity and cooperation between both nations. pic.twitter.com/Oy8bnkRMDT
– Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) September 24, 2022
While, according to CubadebateHun Sen “reiterated his country’s position against the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States government on the Caribbean nation and reported on the donation of two thousand tons of rice.”
As for the meeting with Raúl Castro, it was a “courtesy visit” in which “both leaders referred to the historic relationship” between the two nations since 1960, the year in which diplomatic ties were established, points the Cuban News Agency (ACN).
The media reports that the Cambodian prime minister recalled his visit to Cuba in 1999, when he received the José Martí Order —the highest distinction awarded by the Council of State—, while Castro “referred to the management of Cambodia as president pro tempore of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ratified the will to strengthen Cuba’s cooperation with that regional bloc”.
Hun Sen, who arrived in Cuba on Friday night, also laid a wreath at the monument to Cuban National Hero José Martí and held talks with the president of the National Assembly, Esteban Lazo. In addition, as part of the visit, new bilateral agreements were signed.
Among them was a memorandum related to medical sciences, “in which both parties ratified the exchange of experiences on strengthening undergraduate and postgraduate academic training,” as well as another “aimed at providing professional and technical services in abroad between Cubadeportes SA and the Volleyball Federation of the Asian state”, informs Cubadebate.
The media also reports an agreement between the Higher Institute of International Relations of Cuba and the National Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations of the Kingdom of Cambodia, to hold meetings between teachers and students and the training of future diplomats.
