Friday, June 25, 2010

Cambodia's former King returns home from friendship visit to Vietnam

June 25, 2010

Cambodia's former King Norodom Sihanouk on Friday returned home from a four-day friendship visit to Hanoi at the invitation of Vietnamese president.

Sihanouk was accompanied by his wife and son King Norodom Sihamoni. Prime Minister Hun Sen, the National Assembly President Heng Samrin and the Senate President Chea Sim and other government officials and royal family members met them at the Phnom Penh International Airport.

During his stay in Hanoi, King Father Norodom Sihanouk met with Vietnamese President Nguen Ninh Triet, focusing on the topic of further strengthening the traditional relations between the two countries.

Triet said Sihanouk's visit demonstrated the friendly relations and fine cooperation between the two countries. The former King also thanked Vietnam for supporting Cambodia in the cause of the national protection and construction.

Before the former king's visit, his adviser Prince Sisowath Thomico said that the former king's Vietnamese trip will not address political issues. "I think that the visit will be aimed to boost good relations between the governments of Cambodia and Vietnam and between the peoples of the two countries."

"Being retired and no longer doing politics nor diplomacy, my trip to the glorious Socialist Republic of Vietnam will have a strictly private character," the former King said in a statement dated June 14.

The former king made the first visit to Vietnam in 1995 in his capacity as a king of Cambodia. Sihanouk abdicated in October 2004 and was succeeded by his son King Norodom Sihamoni.

Source: Xinhua

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