Hungarian house speaker talks in Cambodia part of opening to the east policy

Phnom Penh, November 4 (MTI) – It is in Hungary’s interest to renew cooperation with Cambodia and this is also in line with the government’s policy of opening up to the East, parliamentary speaker Laszlo Kover said after meeting Cambodian political leaders in the capital Phnom Penh.

Kover held bilateral talks with President of the National Assembly Heng Samrin, Senate President Say Chhum and Prime Minister Hun Sen, a statement sent to MTI on Wednesday showed. Before the talks, he laid a wreath with military honours at the independence memorial in Phnom Penh.

Kover is the first Hungarian house speaker to visit Cambodia.

According to the statement, Kover told Samrin that Hungary wants to further strengthen ties between the two countries’ parliaments and it was part of this endeavour that the Southeast Asia Friendly Division was reformed in Hungarian parliament following the 2014 elections. He said economic and trade cooperation must also be strengthened between the two countries, and Hungary plans to open a national trading house in Cambodia to boost bilateral trade.

Hamrin expressed thanks for Hungary’s past contribution of 130 police and public administration staff to a UN peacekeeping mission that concluded the civil war. He was in agreement with Kover that opportunities for cooperation in trade, tourism, education and agricultural should be tapped.

At talks with Sen, the Cambodian premier, expressed appreciation of Hungary’s Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship scheme which allows 15 Cambodian students to study in Hungary.

Kover will continue his official Southeast Asian visit in Laos.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters