Cambodian PM cancels visit to Sri Lanka

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has canceled tentative plans to visit Sri Lanka and three other countries – Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand, Prime Minister's office reported.

Sry Thamrong, a minister attached to the prime minister’s office, told reporters of the changed plans after talks between Mr. Hun Sen and Mian Raza Rabbani, chairman of Pakistan’s Senate, yesterday in Siem Reap City. Last year, Mr. Rabbani invited Mr. Hun Sen to pay an official visit to Pakistan at any time.

According to khmertimeskh.com, the invitation was extended after the inauguration ceremony of the 8th Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in Phnom Penh where the premier and Mr. Rabbani discussed the “double standards” of the West over fighting terrorism and the Islamic State group.

Before the inauguration ceremony of the 9th APA in Siem Reap City yesterday, Mr. Hun Sen told Mr. Rabbani that he had a lot of important work to complete in the country, explaining why he decided to cancel official visits overseas.

“Samdech [Mr. Hun Sen] apologized because this year Samdech has a lot of work in the country so he canceled official visits to many countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand,” Mr. Thamrong said. “Next year, we will be busy organizing commune elections and the national election in 2018.”