French Prime Minister Francois Fillion is set to pay an official visit to Cambodia early next month.

Fillion is due to attend an event to mark the completion of the restoration of Baphuon Temple, in Siem Reap, during a two-day visit, according to Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A statement issued yesterday said Fillon’s visit was set to take place on July 2 and 3. During the visit, Fillon would hold official talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen and would received Royal audiences from King Norodom Sihamoni and King-Father Norodom Sihanouk.

Besides attending the closing ceremony of the completion of Baphuon Temple’s restoration, Fillion would also visit the Angkor temples, the statement said.

Earlier this year, French ambassador to Cambodia Christian Connan told The Post that the European country was placing an increased emphasis on investment and loans to help the Kingdom’s economic development, rather than assistance through development aid.

French development aid to Cambodia last year amounted to €25 million (about US$35 million), including multilateral aid to areas such as the Khmer Rouge tribunal, funding to fight disease, and economic development projects through organisations such as the Asian Development Bank.

In April this year, French relations received a boost when national airline Air France KLM restarted flights to the Kingdom – through Bangkok – after a 37-year break.

The French embassy in Phnom Penh and the French Cultural Centre declined to comment last night.