Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, has reaffirmed Cambodia’s support for the request of Timor-Leste to be a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), according to H.E. Eang Sophalleth, Assistant to the Cambodian Premier.
While receiving visiting H.E. Dr. Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, at the Peace Palace here this morning, Samdech Techo Hun Sen said Cambodia will push for the ASEAN Economic Community and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Fact-Finding Missions to Timor-Leste as soon as possible to be the basis for assessment and preparation of a roadmap as well as a precise timeline for the country to join the ASEAN family.
On the bilateral cooperation, the Prime Minister welcomed the request to dispatch Timor-Leste experts to Cambodia to learn more about the accession to ASEAN and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and suggested that both countries’ relevant institutions to discuss ways to resume economic and trade exchange, especially to boost the effective implementation of agreements and MoUs already signed.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen asked Timor-Leste side to import Cambodian rice and consider investing in rice milling, storage and export-related infrastructure to ensure the sustainability of rice supply to Timor-Leste.
The Cambodian leader requested Timor-Leste to consider the South-South cooperation, particularly the agreement on investment protection, free trade agreement, and double taxation agreement between the two countries.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen thanked Timor-Leste’s leaders for the greetings and wished the country’s presidential election scheduled for Mar. 19, 2022 to be held smoothly and successfully.
H.E. Dr. Adaljiza Albertina Xavier Reis Magno spoke highly of peace, stability and rapid development of Cambodia, praised the Kingdom for the measures in containing and preventing the COVID-19 pandemic, and thanked the Royal Government for providing vaccines and materials against COVID-19 for Timor-Leste.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press