Wednesday, 2 April 2008

Oil, gas high on PM’s Cambodian agenda

HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani being received on arrival at Phnom Penh yesterday.


Wednesday, 2 April, 2008

PHNOM PENH: Oil and gas issues were high on HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani’s agenda on day one of his two-day official visit to Cambodia, a government spokesman told a press conference yesterday.

HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, who is also the foreign minister, met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and discussed co-operation and agreements, ranging from oil and gas exploration co-operation to direct airline flights, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith told journalists. The talks were attended by HE the Minister of Finance Yousef Hussein Kamal who is also the Acting Minister of Economy and Commerce, and members of the official delegation accompanying the premier.

From the Cambodian side, the session was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Hor Namhong, Minister of Trade and Second Deputy Chairman of the Development Council Cham Prasit, Minister of Tourism Thong Khon and a number of senior officials.

Establishment of diplomatic relations between Qatar and Cambodia was declared during the talks.

A number of projects and agreements were handed over to the Cambodian side. They included an investment protection agreement, another on prevention of double taxation, a third one on economic, trade and technical co-operation and a fourth on employment of Cambodian labour, as well as a memorandum of understanding on political consultations between the two foreign ministries.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim later witnessed the signing of an agreement on direct flights between Doha and the Cambodian capital, as well as the northern tourist town of Siem Reap.

He also answered a call by Cambodia for foreign donors to assist it to prepare for an expected influx of oil and gas revenue from offshore oil reserves predicted to be tapped within three years.

He agreed to assist with training of Cambodians in oil and gas exploration, as well as teaming up with the Cambodian government in the future to increase exploration for oil, gas and minerals.

Cambodia has been described as Asia’s new mining frontier and the government is hopeful additional petroleum deposits lie under its massive inland Tonle Sap lake.

“He also negotiated for Qatar to begin farming cotton in Cambodia and agreed to loans for roads and irrigation,” Kanharith said. The leaders discussed a multi-million-dollar donation for a new school just outside of the capital.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim is scheduled to fly to Siem Reap today to visit the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex before flying out the same day.

The Cambodian prime minister hosted a dinner banquet in honour of Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim on the occasion of his visit to Cambodia. – DPA/QNA

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