Rustam Minnikhanov: The visit of the delegation of the Kingdom of Cambodia to Tatarstan will give great impetus to promoting our relations

On November 28, at Tatarstan Government House, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov had a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Sok An.

The kingdom’s delegation, including members of the Cambodian Government and officials from some country’s ministries, arrived in Kazan to take part in the Eurasian Economic Integration: Achievements and Challenges forum.

Welcoming participants of the meeting, Minnikhanov thanked them for their interest in the republic, noting that Russia and its regions attach great importance to promoting relations with the Southeast Asian countries.

“We will be happy to actively cooperate with the Kingdom of Cambodia, especially when we have established certain contacts already. In particular, Kamaz trucks, products of the Kazan Helicopter Plant and other industrial enterprises are supplied to Cambodia,” Tatarstan President said.

“We need to work to increase trade turnover between Tatarstan and Cambodia,” Minnikhanov went on to suggest. According to him, Tatarstan could increase the supplies of its trucks, helicopters, gas pumping equipment, tyres and other products, while Cambodia could supply to Tatarstan consumer goods and agricultural products.

Tatarstan President briefed on the economic indicators of the republic, saying that car making, shipbuilding, aircraft engineering and medical equipment manufacturing could be promising areas for cooperation. “Besides, Tatarstan is the leading region in agricultural production and has been acknowledged as one of the most favourable regions for foreign investments and doing business,” he added.

Tatarstan President said that cooperation in education could be beneficial as well, since Tatarstan is one of Russia’s leading research and education centres. “We will be happy if the number of Cambodian students at Tatarstan universities will increase,” Minnikhanov pledged. Other areas of mutual interest could be tourism, culture and sports, he said.

“I am sure your visit will give great impetus to promoting our relations,” Minnikhanov said addressing the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister.

In his turn Sok An said that he was happy to visit Kazan. The forum on the Eurasian economic integration would a good platform for exchanging views, he said. “I find this dialogue extremely important, with Cambodia being its active participant,” he said.

“We have a base for promoting our relations,” Sok An said about the Russia-Cambodia cooperation. “This is true for all areas that are of mutual concern.”

He went on to say that Kamaz trucks have been popular in Cambodia since the 80-s. Sok An said that, following a visit to Belarus, a Belarus tractor assembly facility was built in Cambodia. Building the type of facility to assemble Kamaz trucks should be considered, he added.

Speaking about cooperation in the field of tourism, Sok An said that his country has a rich cultural heritage. “We see a growth in tourists coming to Cambodia,” he reported. “In 2013, 4.2 million tourists visited the country, including some 130,000 from Russia. In total, the tourism industry accounts for 16 per cent of Cambodia’s gross national product, and we deem promoting it as very important.”

The Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister went on to say that his country is willing to supply natural caoutchouc, rice and other agricultural products. He also appreciated the possibilities for cooperation in the field of education as well.