Monday, September 13, 2010

Indian president starts Cambodian visit to boost trade, security

Mon, 13 Sep 2010
DPA

Phnom Penh - India's President Pratibha Patil began a five-day visit to Cambodia on Monday during which she is expected to discuss investment and security issues.

Patil said Cambodia, Laos and India shared a linked cultural heritage dating back centuries.

"I will assure (Cambodia and Laos) that they can count on India as a willing development partner," she said at the start of her trip to both nations.

Patil said India wanted to boost trade and investment, which she described as growing but "much below potential."

The Indian embassy in Phnom Penh listed total trade between the two nations at 50 million dollars for 2008-09, the bulk of it Indian exports such as pharmaceuticals, cotton and machinery.

Patil said Cambodia and Laos had given "unconditional support" to India's bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security.

Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong declined to comment on Phnom Penh's position, saying only that the issue was not yet on the UN's agenda.

"Right now, it is not time for issues about the enlargement of the United Nations Security Council," he said.

Patil was expected to meet with Prime Minister Hun Sen, King Norodom Sihamoni and senior government officials.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

We have to be careful doing with Indian. They count pennies.

Anonymous said...

Hey ! you late the Korean took all the cream!

Do you want to buy the unfinish 42 storie building or invest in the 555 stories?

OH! how about a longest bridge on eurth, from Phno Penh to Areiyksat?

Anonymous said...

cambodia needs to build about a thousand more bridges across the mekong river and the tonle sap river, etc! battambang, kampot, kompong thom, kompong chhnang, siem reap, etc, can all use modern bridges.