AKP Phnom Penh, February 05, 2025 --

Legislative leaders of Cambodia and Hungary have spoken highly of the significance of parliamentary diplomacy and are committed to promoting it for the interest of the two countries.

The common commitment was made during a meeting here at the Senate Palace this morning between Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate of Cambodia, and visiting First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) of Hungary H.E. Ms. Marta Matrai. 

H.E. Ms. Marta Matrai expressed her belief that through cooperation under multilateral frameworks, such as ASEAN-EU and ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting), Cambodian-Hungarian relations will further improve.

The Hungarian side is ready to cooperate with Cambodia to reopen her embassy in Budapest and expects the visit of His Majesty the King of Cambodia to Hungary after it was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 spread, she added. 
H.E. Ms. Marta Matrai also mentioned about Hungary’s scholarship programme for 30 Cambodian students annually and encouraged them to apply for it, which will contribute to bridging the two countries and peoples. 
The first deputy speaker of Hungarian NA said that the Hungarian government had recognised the efforts of the Royal Government of Cambodia in developing and promoting human rights and considers Cambodia a model country. 
In addition, she continued, the adoption of the Universal Peace Charter for People and the Planet at the 11th Plenary Session of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (IPTP) in Cambodia also demonstrates the common ground between Cambodia and Hungary.

For his part, Samdech Techo Hun Sen expressed warm welcome to H.E. Ms. Marta Matrai’s visit, and thanked Hungary for her support and assistance to Cambodia’s reconstruction and development efforts. 

The presence of members of parliaments from the opposition party in the delegation clearly demonstrates Hungary’s consensus on relations with Cambodia, he stressed.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen encouraged both sides to strengthen their cooperation in the economic, trade, investment, education, and cultural sectors. 

The Senate President also suggested the establishment of a Parliamentary Friendship Group between the Cambodian Senate and the Hungarian NA. 

H.E. Ms. Marta Matrai has been on an official and friendly visit to Cambodia, from Feb. 5 to 9, to deepen the cooperation between both countries' parliaments, both in bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

By Heng Panha