On the Visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus to Cambodia

27 March 2014

27-03-2014

On March 26, 2014 Mr.Vladimir Makei, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, started the first ever official visit in the history of bilateral diplomatic relations to Cambodia.

Within the meeting with Deputy Prime-Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Mr.Hor Namhong the parties discussed the state and prospects of Belarus-Cambodia cooperation in the political, trade, economic and humanitarian sphere. The sides considered the issues of interaction in the banking and financial sphere, the creation of assembly plants, implementation of joint bilateral projects. The parties also considered the program of the forthcoming official visit of the Prime-Minister of Cambodia to Belarus on April 23 – 25, 2014.

The Head of the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed on the internal political situation in the country, the prospects of socio-economic development and agricultural production growth rates. Special attention during the negotiations was paid to the development of the legal framework of bilateral relations.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs signed the Agreement between the Government of Belarus and the Government of Cambodia on visa-free travels for the holders of diplomatic and business passports.

During the meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus with the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports of Cambodia the parties considered the issues of cooperation in the sphere of science and education, including the preparation of Cambodian specialists in Belarusian educational establishments. The Cambodian side expressed interest in the preparation of specialists with higher and specialized secondary education.

On March 27 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and the Minister of Industry and Crafts of Cambodia opened the first in Southeast Asia tractor assembling plant. About a thousand guests took part in the opening ceremony, including senior officials, representatives of the ministries, business circles of Cambodia, Deputy Minister of Industry of Belarus Mr.Gennady Svidersky, Director General of Minsk Tractor Works Mr.Vladimir Volchok, the delegation of the Belarusian business circles.

After the opening ceremony the participants familiarized themselves with the functioning of the assembly line. The Cambodian Minister personally tested the first tractor “Belarus” assembled in Cambodia.