Myanmar and Cambodia held bilateral talks at the meeting hall of the State Administration Council Chairman’s Office in Nay Pyi Taw on 7 January. During the event, the Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC) Prime Minister and the Cambodian Prime Minister exchanged greetings and gave their entourages to each other.
During the meeting, the Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN discussed the following points:
· Both countries gave help each other in taking preventive, control and treatment measures of COVID-19 and he expressed thanks to Myanmar for its donation of COVID-19 vaccines to Cambodia.
· Arrangements will be made for signing the agreement to reduce the double taxation with cooperation in the trade sector of both countries. It is necessary to draw a new plan for education cooperation.
· Regarding the tourism industry, he discussed the soonest implementation of a travel partner city program between Bagan and Siem Reap, and the resumption of flights amidst the COVID-19 restrictions.
Then, the Chairman of the SAC Prime Minister discussed the following points:
· The goodwill visit of the Cambodian Prime Minister in the early year of 2022 would strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries. As Ministries of Foreign Affairs between the two countries have signed the agreement on cooperation in policy affairs, they should hold talks between ministries of both countries at the opportune time.
· The Prime Minister pledged to arrange the signing of the agreement to reduce the double taxation in the trade sector of both countries. Cooperation will be made in the enhancement of the tourism industry between the two countries. The tourism services will resume at a time when the COVID-19 can be controlled to some extent, and the aviation services will be resumed to Cambodia as soon as possible.
· In the religious and culture sector, the Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction of allowing 249 Cambodian monks and nuns at Buddhist missionary universities in Myanmar from 1999 to 2020.
· The agreement on the 2017-2021 education cooperation program will be extended for further cooperation. Further cooperation will be undertaken in Defence affairs.
· The countries from the Mekong Basin need to be united. The Prime Minister expressed thanks to Cambodian for its support to Myanmar with a positive attitude in the international and ASEAN arenas. He also said he is striving for ensuring the development of the region and peace and stability in the nation.
· In his tenure, the Prime Minister said more than 48,000 prisoners were granted a pardon, and more prisoners will be granted a pardon at the appropriate time. Moreover, he set this year as the year of peace. He expressed his warm welcome to the special envoy of the Cambodian Prime Minister to cooperate in the peace process of Myanmar. He said he was satisfied with today’s meeting focusing on cooperation in both countries and regional issues.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the SAC Prime Minister accompanied by officials, Union Ministers, Myanmar Ambassador to Cambodia and officials. The Cambodian Prime Minister accompanied by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Senior Minister, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation of Cambodia, Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office and General-Secretary of Council for the Development of Cambodia, Ministers attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, Cambodian Ambassador to Myanmar and delegation members joined the meeting.
- During the ceremony, the Cambodian Prime Minister said that both countries gave help each other in taking preventive, control and treatment measures of COVID-19 and he expressed thanks to Myanmar for its donation of COVID-19 vaccines to Cambodia.
- Regarding the tourism industry, he discussed the soonest implementation of a travel partner city program between Bagan and Siem Reap, and the resumption of flights amidst the COVID-19 restrictions.
- The Chairman of the SAC Prime Minister said that the cooperation will be made in the enhancement of the tourism industry between the two countries and the aviation services will be resumed to Cambodia as soon as possible.
- The Prime Minister expressed thanks to Cambodian for its support to Myanmar with a positive attitude in the international and ASEAN arenas.
- In his tenure, the Prime Minister said more than 48,000 prisoners were granted a pardon, and more prisoners will be granted a pardon at the appropriate time.