PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, discussed Cambodia-EU relations and cooperation in a Bilateral Meeting on Saturday, 12 November 2022, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summits and Related Summits.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Hun Sen recalled their bilateral meeting in Tokyo last September and underlined that the participation of the President of the EU Council in the ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Phnom Penh proves the solidity of ASEAN-EU relations while the two Organizations are commemorating the 45th Anniversary of ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations.

The Prime Minister further thanked the EU for the continued cooperation and assistance provided to Cambodia since 1992, which has contributed greatly to the country’s socioeconomic development, infrastructure, education and health, and for the provision of Covid-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility.

Prime Minister Hun Sen and the EU Council President further discussed ASEAN-EU cooperation and mutually expressed that they look forward to the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit to be held in Brussels in December 2022, which will mark the 45th Anniversary of ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations, and which will be co-chaired by the Prime Minister and President Charles Michel.

The two leaders exchanged views on regional and international issues, during which, Prime Minister Hun Sen stressed Cambodia's position against the threat to use nuclear weapons, and underscored Cambodia's humanitarian activities by sharing the experiences of clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) under the auspices of the United Nations in peacekeeping operations around the world.

The Prime Minister also informed the EU Council President of Cambodia’s decision to collaborate with the Government of Japan to dispatch Cambodian deminers to help train Ukrainian deminers in Poland.

The President of the EU Council, in turn, expressed his high appreciation for Cambodia's persistent efforts in advancing the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) on Myanmar, and the joint-initiative of Cambodia and Japan to help with demining in Ukraine.