Prime Minister Hun Sen praised the army cooperation between Cambodia and Indonesia and urged both the militaries of both countries to strengthen the relationship, noting that the army serve as diplomats of peace.

He made the comments during an August 11 meeting with Indonesian army commander General Dudung Abdurachman at the Peace Palace. The meeting was a highlight of the agenda of Abdurachman’s visit to Cambodia.

Abdurachman informed the prime minister of his meeting with acting Royal Cambodian Army commander Mao Sophan. He said he and Sophan had discussed their existing cooperation and the areas where more action was needed to strengthen it, including wider sharing of experience and information. Expanding the scope of military exercises would also contribute, he explained.

According to a statement by the Royal Cambodian Army, Sophan met with Abdurachman earlier on August 11.

During the meeting, the two army commanders discussed joint anti-terrorism and disaster management exercises, friendly parachute drills, the exchange of experiences and a building up of cooperation at the individual unit level.

It added that Abdurachman’s visit is the fourth made by Indonesian army commanders, and will drive the relationship between the two armies to another level.

Cambodia and Indonesia first established diplomatic relations in 1959.