DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “U.S. vows to support Cambodia to host upcoming ASEAN Regional Forum successfully” plus 1 more

PHNOM PENH, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The United States is committed to ensuring the success of the 19th ASEAN Regional Forum (19th ARF) , to be held here next week, the newly-designated ambassador of the U.S. to Cambodia William E. Todd, said Tuesday.

The U.S.'s commitment was publicly made by the ambassador during a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Peace Palace.

The ambassador also commended Hun Sen for his leadership during Cambodia's chairmanship of ASEAN, and said the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton looks forward to her participation in the 19th ARF on July 9-13.

The ARF, established in 1994, is a key forum for security dialogue in Asia. It draws together 27 countries which have a bearing on the security of the Asia Pacific region.

Todd said that Hillary will also lead her largest business delegation ever to the U.S. ASEAN Business Forum in Siem Reap province at that time.

"This is a terrific opportunity for Cambodia to showcase what it has to offer businesses from the United States and throughout the region," he said.

Meanwhile, Hun Sen expressed his welcome for upcoming visit by Hillary and U.S. businessmen, saying that it will be an important opportunity to boost Cambodia-U.S. relations in all fields, especially trade, investment and tourism.

He said the country wanted to see more U.S. investors.

The U.S. is Cambodia's fifth largest investor. According to a record of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, since 1994 to 2011, the country had received the promised investment of 1.28 billion U.S. dollars from the United States.

In terms of bilateral trade, the total trade volume was 2.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2011, up 18 percent year-on-year, according to the statistics of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

During the first four months of 2012, the bilateral trade continued to rise by additional 10 percent to 997 million U.S. dollars if compared with the same period last year.

PHNOM PENH, July 2 (Xinhua) -- British foreign office minister Jeremy Browne arrived here on Monday evening for a two-day visit to further enhance bilateral ties and Britain-ASEAN relations.

His visit is a part of a regional program to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and China's Hong Kong, according to a press release from the British Embassy in Phnom Penh.

During the stay, Browne will meet with Prime Minister Hun Sen, British business leaders and representatives of civil society, and will visit the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia ( ECCC), said the press release, adding that he will also deliver a key note speech on U.K. and ASEAN at the Council of Ministers.

Browne said that he wanted to see for himself the huge progress Cambodia has made in the past few years.

"In addition to promising opportunities for business, it is my intention to see much deeper political, security and cultural links forged with the U.K.," he said in the press release.

Browne was appointed British foreign office minister in May 2010. His visit to Cambodia took places as Cambodia is preparing to host the 19th ASEAN Regional Forum, the 45th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting, Post Ministerial Conference, and the 2nd East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' meeting from July 6-13.

He is the first foreign office minister from the current British government to visit Cambodia, following the secretary of state for Wales who was here in May.