Prime Minister Hun Sen meets his Lao counterpart Phankham Viphavanh in Japan on Saturday. SPM
Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh has requested that a bridge be built between Cambodia and Laos to promote closer people-to-people contact. He plans to visit the provinces which border Cambodia and strengthen cooperation between them.
Phankham’s request came at his April 23 meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen in Kumamoto, Japan, on the sidelines of the 4th Asia-Pacific Water Summit, held for two days on April 23-24.
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In a social media post, Hun Sen said Phankham plans to visit Laos’ Champasak and Champa Leu provinces – which border the Kingdom – to strengthen cooperation between the provinces of the two countries and to highlight the two nations’ policies of promoting and serving the interests of their citizens.
“The Lao Prime Minister also requested construction of a bridge between the two countries. With regard to this construction, he would have to have to consult further with Lao public works minister,” the post said.
Hun Sen added that the bridge would be an ideal way to better link the countries.
Phankham also requested exchange visits between the commanders of the armed forces of the two countries. He invited Lieutenant General Hun Manet, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, to visit Laos in the near future.
Hun Sen had agreed to the invitation, saying that it was very important to further strengthen military relations between the two armies.
Phankham was committed to implementing past decisions that had been agreed upon, especially the master documents concerning the borders of the two countries, as he welcomed Hun Sen’s upcoming visit to Laos.
He expressed his desire for a continued exchange of views and offered his support for Cambodia’s upcoming commune elections.
Hun Sen expressed pride in the relationship between the two countries, saying that the results achieved by the two will further improve their relationship.
Phankham congratulated Cambodia for holding the ASEAN chairmanship this year and for playing an “active” role in leading the bloc.
At an April 22 meeting with new Lao ambassador to Cambodia Buakeo Phumvongsay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn encouraged the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) of the two countries to speed up negotiations and address the remaining 14 per cent of border lines which have yet to be demarcated, as agreed by the two countries’ leaders in November 2021.
Heng Kimkong, a visiting senior research fellow at the Cambodia Development Centre, said it is great that Laos and Cambodia are trying to enhance their relations.
“As close neighbours, both countries need each other. They should find ways to strengthen their bilateral ties at all levels,” he told The Post on April 24.
