His Majesty's Letter to President Barack Obama

King Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia

Thank You Letter from His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni to President Obama on the Occasion of the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the United States and Cambodia

Mr. President,

I wish to convey to Your Excellency and the People of the United States of America my sincere appreciation for your congratulatory letter of 13th July 2010 conveying Your Excellency’s good wishes, on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two Countries.

Both the United States of America and the Kingdom of Cambodia have enjoyed a friendly relationship for 60 years. I am convinced that the bilateral cooperation existing between our two Countries will be further expanded in all fields for the mutual benefit of our two People, and in the interest of peace, stability and development in the world.

I extend my warmest congratulations to your Excellency, Your Administration and the People of the United States of America on their achievements.

With my best wishes, please accept, Mr. President, the renewed assurance of my highest consideration and personal esteem.

//signed//
Norodom Sihamoni
King of Cambodia

US President's Letter to His Majesty

Close Window President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama

President Obama’s Letter to His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni on the Occasion of the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the United States and Cambodia

Your Majesty:

On behalf of the American people, I wish to congratulate the Kingdom of Cambodia on the Occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. This important milestone presents us with the opportunity to reflect on our shared past and to plot a course for the future based on the strong foundation we have built together.

Both Cambodia and the United States have changed immensely since July 11, 1950, when our first Ambassador to your country presented his credentials to King Sihanouk. As with any bilateral relationship, there have been times when we have not agreed, but the overall growth in the depth and breadth of our engagement reflects a maturing partnership. Over the last several years, for example, we have seen many positive developments, including the establishment of the Peace Corps program in Cambodia, the creation of the Extraordinary Cambers of the Courts in Cambodia and completion of its first trial, and the inauguration of Cambodia’s peacekeeping force, a truly momentous achievement for a coutry that was the beneficiary of peacekeepers less than two decades before. The United States is now the top market for Cambodia’s garment exporters, forming a pillar for the country’s economic growth. Military-to-military and counterterrism cooperation between our two countries has grown as well, creating a safer environment for both Americans and Cambodians.

In the coming years, we look forward to taking advantage of the positive momentum that has been created and to see the patnership between our two nations grow stronger and deeper in areas such as food security, climate change, health, education, human rights, and strengthening democratic institutions.

I congratulate the Royal Government and the people of Cambodia on their achievements and offer my best wishes on the occasion of this important anniversary.

Sincerely,
Barack Obama

Seoul and Phnom Penh Sign Agreements

Southeast Asian country to use Korea as a role model October 23, 2009

Korean President Lee Myung-bak, left, talks with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, right, yesterday at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.

PHNOM PENH - Leaders of South Korea and Cambodia yesterday signed a series of economic cooperation agreements that include a large-scale forestation project and a mineral resources development program. President Lee Myung-bak arrived here yesterday morning, beginning a two-day visit. Shortly after arrival, Lee and his wife, Kim Yoon-ok, attended a welcoming ceremony hosted at the Royal Palace by King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia and discussed ties between the two nations. In the afternoon, Lee held a summit with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, discussing a wide range of cooperation programs to further the two nations’ steadily developing relations. Following normalization of diplomatic ties in 1997, Korea has become Cambodia’s second largest foreign investor and seventh largest trade partner.

Cambodia had first tied the diplomatic knot with South Korea in 1970, but relations were severed in 1975. That’s when the country’s then-communist government formed diplomatic relations with North Korea. Lee and Hun Sen agreed yesterday that Korea will help Cambodia create a national economic development plan. “Starting next year, a program will be launched for Korea to share its development experience with Cambodia,” said Kim Eun-hye, Lee’s spokeswoman. “As a part of the program, we will provide consulting services for Cambodia to establish its economic policies. It’s like Cambodia will use Korea’s model as its standard to create a national development plan.”Kim said Korea will play the role of incubator for the Southeast Asian country’s development. Korea will help Cambodia open a stock exchange by the end of next year, while Cambodia’s real estate system research team has already visited Korea, she said. The two leaders have maintained a close personal relationship. In 2000, the Cambodian prime minister made Lee his foreign economic adviser following a series of development consultations.

Lee kept the post until he took the presidential office last year. Lee and Hun Sen also witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral agreements. The two countries’ forestry authorities signed a memorandum of understanding in which Cambodia will provide 200,000 hectares of land for Korea’s forestation project. The planned site is slightly larger than Jeju Island. “The program will restore forests and create jobs in Cambodia,” Kim said. “And Korean companies investing in the program will secure carbon dioxide emission rights and lumber.” Kim said the government aims at securing a million hectares of forestation sites around the world by 2050. Including yesterday’s agreement, about 90 percent of that goal has been achieved, she noted. The Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources and Cambodia’s Ministry of Industry Mines and Energy also signed an agreement for a joint research and development program. “This gives Korean companies

By Ser Myo-ja

Korean President Lee Myung Bak Visits Cambodia

Friday, 23 October 2009 15:04 Cheang Sokha Photo by: Sovan Philong

CAMBODIA further cemented ties with South Korea in agreements signed Thursday in Phnom Penh by visiting President Lee Myung-bak and Prime Minister Hun Sen that will see Seoul increase soft loans to the Kingdom and offer help in the reconstruction effort following Typhoon Ketsana.Lee, a close ally and former economic adviser to the prime minister, signed a deal that increased a loan agreement from US$120 million to $200 million through 2012 – an extension by one year – following an hourlong meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an audience with King Norodom Sihamoni.

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters afterwards that Lee had offered to help Cambodia rebuild following the typhoon at the end of September that caused extensive damage in Kampong Thom, Ratanakkiri and Siem Reap provinces.“Lee Myung-bak promised to consider providing aid to Cambodia and urged their investors to continue to implement projects in Cambodia,” he said.Nine agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed in total. An expected deal on mining was cancelled without further explanation by the ministry’s spokesman Koy Kuong.Hun Sen signed a deal that allows Koreans one-year visas to Cambodia following a 33 percent decline in visitors from the country in the first eight months of this year. South Koreans have been replaced by Vietnamese as the largest contingent of foreign visitors to the Kingdom so far in 2009.


Hun Sen (right) greets South Korean President Lee Myung-bak
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thursday.

Students line Sihanouk Boulevard to greet

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Thursday.


Lee in turn agreed to receive an additional 3,500 Cambodian migrant workers to South Korea on top of the roughly 5,500 workers that have already relocated from the Kingdom, said Hor Namhong. Other economic incentives included a commitment to build an agricultural training centre in Cambodia that would include technical assistance, as well as human resources training. An extradition deal was also signed.

The agreements boost existing ties with South Korea, which has become Cambodia’s No 2 investor since diplomatic relations were first established in 1997.South Korea last year agreed to $1.2 billion in approved investments in the Kingdom, as its companies poured money mostly into construction projects in Phnom Penh.An official at the Council of Ministers who spoke on the condition of anonymity said late Thursday that a further three deals would be signed this morning, two of which would be on information technology and environmental protection, although further details were not available.

Lee said Thursday that South Korea would also plant trees on 200,000 hectares of Cambodian land as part of a reforestation effort.Following a meeting at the Council of Ministers, Lee is due to visit Angkor Wat before flying out of Cambodia to attend the 15th ASEAN Summit in Hua Hin, Thailand.

CAMBODIA-KOREA RELATIONSHIP