AKP Phnom Penh, July 22, 2025 —

H.E. Vong Sauth, Second Vice President of the National Assembly, held productive talks Monday with Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister H.E. Elnur Mammadov.

The meeting at the National Assembly Palace in Phnom Penh coincided with the Deputy Minister’s role as co-chair of the 4th Cambodia-Azerbaijan Political Consultation Meeting on Monday and Tuesday.

The Second Vice President noted that Cambodia and Azerbaijan have had diplomatic ties for more than 30 years.

Bilateral ties and cooperation strengthened over this period, especially following the visit to Azerbaijan in 2024 by Samdech Techo Hun Sen, former Prime Minister and current President of the Senate, he said.

The visit enhanced collaboration between the two countries at both legislative and executive levels.

H.E. Vong Sauth noted exchanges of high-level visits and mutual support on international fora since then as well as agreements and memoranda of understanding to further advance diplomatic and economic cooperation.

The Second Vice President urged the governments of both countries to further strengthen and expand their cooperation in political and economic spheres.

He especially emphasised key areas such as investment, trade, tourism and education with the aim of fostering mutual benefits between the two nations.

Deputy Minister Mammadov indicated that the Political Consultation Meeting would focus on strengthening collaboration in fields such as politics, economics, tourism, education, and culture.

He said he was also scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at enhancing tourism cooperation between the two nations.

After visiting the Angkor temples, he expressed admiration for Cambodia’s appeal as a destination for international visitors — including from Azerbaijan —  and conveyed optimism for a future increase in tourism exchanges.

The Deputy Minister underscored the vital role of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening bilateral relations and fostering cooperation.

To further deepen collaboration, he noted that the parliaments of both countries had established friendship groups, which enhance mutual support within inter-parliamentary fora such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), and the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network (NAM-PN).

The Deputy Minister highlighted numerous similarities between Cambodia and Azerbaijan, including shared histories marked by hardship and conflict.

He noted their aligned foreign policy principles, such as commitment to non-alignment, respect for sovereignty, and support for multilateralism grounded in international law.

He also expressed gratitude to Cambodia for its unwavering support of Azerbaijan and conveyed optimism for expanding cooperation in the areas of economics, trade, and investment in the near future.

The Second Vice President extended warm regards to President Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister Ali Asadov and National Assembly Speaker Sahiba Gafarova.

By Mao Rida