Phnom Penh: The Chair of ASEAN 2023, PM Hun Sen, leaves for Brussels, Belgium, on the night of December 11, 2022, to attend the 45th anniversary of the ASEAN-EU Dialogue Partnership.

The special plane of the Cambodian delegation left Phnom Penh International Airport at 10:15 pm.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the EU-ASEAN Commemorative Summit will review current cooperation and set future directions for ASEAN-EU relations. Leaders are expected to focus on ways to strengthen the economy, people-to-people contacts, digital transformation, connectivity, ensuring green energy, food security, and sustainable development. Leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Before attending the Commemorative Summit, PM Hun Sen will pay an official visit to France. The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, will welcome the Prime Minister at the Élysée Palace and host a dinner in his honor.

There, PM Hun Sen will also attend a conference on supporting the resilience of the Ukrainian people, a meeting with the French Cambodian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a meeting with representatives of Vinci Airport.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the 9th Sea Festival on the evening of December 10, 2022, in Sihanoukville, PM Hun Sen said that he will speak at the meeting with European leaders on the issue of peace, which he said was an issue in Europe following Russia's attack on Ukraine.

He stated, "He will not pour oil on the flames of war" that are raging in Europe.

PM added: "War is happening in Europe, where there was once peace, but now through the issues that are occurring in Europe, it has become a major topic, so the topic of peace that I will talk about is not a separate issue for Cambodia."