Cambodia, Georgia agree on ‘more productive’ bilateral ties
The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia and Georgia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish bilateral consultations in international affairs and further promote closer ties between the countries.
Chem Widhya, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said yesterday, “The MoU will help to identify and promote areas of mutual interests and benefits. It will make the relationship more productive.”
He added, “There will be exchange of visits between the leaders of the two countries as per the July 1, 2022 visa exemption deal for diplomatic, service/official passport holders. Besides, Sok Chea, Ambassador-Designate of Cambodia to Georgia with residence in Ankara, will soon present his credentials to the Georgian President as agreed upon on November 7, 2023.”
“The government of Georgia will nominate a new Ambassador as replacement for the outgoing Ambassador Nikoloz Apkhazava,” he said. Widhya made the announcements after a virtual meeting with Alexander Khvtisiashvili, Deputy Minister and Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Georgia on Friday.
Widhya added that as per the MoU both sides will explore political collaborations as well as in trade and investment and tourism sector.
He also appreciated the Georgian government for pledging to support Cambodia’s candidature as a member of the Organisational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission for the term 2025-2026 (to be held by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December) and also at the Economic and Social Council for the term 2028-2030 (elections will be held at 81st Session of UNGA in June 2027).
Talking about Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia conflicts, Widhya said that Cambodia does not support the secession of a sovereign State. “Cambodia takes note of the complexity of the issues and hopes that all parties concerned would resolve the disputes through consultations,” he said.
“Cambodia will take utmost consideration on draft resolutions on the status of internally displaced persons and refugees and draft resolutions on the withdrawal of illegally stationed foreign military forces proposed by Georgia,” he added.
Widhya also said that Cambodia encouraged Georgia to establish relations and cooperation with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN member states, On September, 28, 2018, the informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting agreed with the recommendation of the ASEAN Senior Official’s Meeting to hold in abeyance Georgia’s request to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), while encouraging the country to substantiate and deepen its engagement with ASEAN and its member states, he added.
Georgia is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and West Asia.
It is part of the Caucasus region, bounded by the Black Sea to the west, Russia to the north and northeast, Turkiye to the southwest, Armenia to the south, and Azerbaijan to the southeast.
The country covers an area of 69,700 square kilometres, and has a population of 3.7 million people. Tbilisi is its capital and the largest city, home to roughly a third of the Georgian population.
