Sushma Swaraj visits Cambodia; discusses key bilateral issues

Phnom Penh, Aug 29: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met her Cambodian counterpart Prak Sokhon and discussed bilateral, multilateral and key international issues, today. Swaraj, who is in Cambodia on the concluding leg of her four-day two-nation tour, was received by Sokhon.

The two ministers discussed bilateral, multilateral and important international issues at delegation-level talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cambodia. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted that Swaraj was warmly received by Sokhon. "The two ministers discussed bilateral, multilateral and important International issues today at delegation level talks at MOFA," he said in the tweet.

She will call on Prime Minister Hun Sen and President of the Senate Say Chhum. Swaraj reached here yesterday (Aug 28) from Vietnam where she held wide-ranging talks with her Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh and discussed steps to boost bilateral trade, investment, maritime and defence cooperation. India's ties are on an upswing with Vietnam and Cambodia -- the two major countries in the powerful Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) grouping.

India and Cambodia have enjoyed friendly relations for a long time. Both the countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1952. In 2000, Cambodia vowed its full support for India to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Swaraj's visit to the two key ASEAN nations is seen as India's attempt to balance China's rising influence in the Southeast Asian region.

PTI