Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono. (Source: Reuters)
Phnom Penh (VNA) – Cambodia and Japan have agreed to enhance bilateral cooperativerelations, especially in economic development.
The consensuswas reached by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and JapaneseForeign Minister Taro Kono during their meeting in Phnom Penh on August8.
Minister Taro Kono is on a visit to Cambodia on theoccasion of the 60th founding anniversary of Cambodia-Japandiplomatic ties.
Eang Sophallet, Assistant to PM Hun Sen, told the press that Minister Taro Kono stressed Tokyo will take more measures to help Cambodiabecome a high middle-income nation in 2030, with priority to be given toelectricity, seaports, special economic zones and human resources.
The ministeralso invited PM Hun Sen to attend the Japan-Mekong meeting which is scheduled totake place in Japan in the upcoming autumn. PM Hun Sen accepted the invitation.
The PM expressedhis thanks to the Japanese Government and people for their support to Cambodiasince the two countries set up diplomatic ties, particularly since 1992.
Following themeeting, Minister Toro Kono and Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs andInternational Cooperation Prak Sokhorn signed cooperation agreements, under whichJapan will provide 5 million USD in non-refundable aid for Cambodia to help thecountry implement its socio-economic programme, along with a preferential loanworth about 86 million USD to carry out the second phase of a power project inPhnom Penh.
Sok Eysan,spokesperson of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), on August 8 told the pressthat between 1992 and 2017, Japan granted over 3 billion USD in non-refundableaid and 1.3 billion USD in preferential loans to Cambodia.-VNA
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Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono. (Source: Reuters) 
