Climate, crops impress emirate leader enough to invest in Kingdom, while ministerial talks cover aviation, oil sectors

Vandy Rattana

Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheik Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah greets the crowd as he is welcomed to the Kingdom by Prime Minister Hun Sen on Sunday 03 Aug 2008 at Phnom Penh International Airport

In talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen on

Monday, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheik Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmad

Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said he sees enough potential in Cambodia’s land and

climate that  Kuwait plans to invest in the Kingdom’s agriculture

sector, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said.

“Kuwait is

the rich country and Cambodia has the agricultural potential,” Khieu

Kanharith said at a news conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

after the meeting. “Kuwait will help Cambodia to become a powerful

country in exporting its agricultural products.”

The Kuwaiti premier is leading a delegation on an official three-day visit that started Sunday.

Among

the indicators pointing to  the country’s farming strengths is the

current two million tonne rice surplus, despite worldwide food

shortages.

Khieu Kanharith said the rulers also discussed direct

flights between the countries, the establishment of a permanent embassy

in Phnom Penh, cultural exchanges and proposals to provide technical

training to Cambodian oil and gas officials. The discovery of oil off

of Cambodia’s southern coast indicates that the Kingdom could be

sitting on massive petroleum and natural gas reserves.

Deputy Prime Minister Sok An expects to hold further oil talks with Kuwaiti officials.

Cambodia and Kuwait have also signed five agreements covering

trade, investment, economic issues, a memorandum of understanding of

foreign affairs cooperation and civil aviation.

Foreign minister Hor Namhong will discuss loans and investment with

his Kuwaiti counterpart, while Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh is to

discuss exporting local products.