Cambodian leaders meet U.S. top diplomat, discuss bilateral ties, regional issues

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen met with visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday, focusing their talks on bilateral cooperation and regional issues, a Cambodian senior official said.

Eang Sophalleth, a personal assistant to the prime minister, said Hun Sen stressed the importance of boosting trade relations between the two countries and also praised the U.S.-Cambodia cooperation in anti-terrorism.

"The prime minister requested the U.S. to consider providing quota-free and duty-free for Cambodian products in order to contribute to increasing bilateral trade volume," he told reporters after the meeting at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh.

According to Sophalleth, Kerry said his visit to Cambodia was to prepare for the upcoming special U.S.-ASEAN summit in Sunnylands, California and to maximize opportunities for cooperation between the United States and Cambodia.

Kerry said U.S. investors saw Cambodia as a potential destination for investment and also promised to take the prime minister's request into consideration.

Both sides also touched on the South China Sea issue.

Hun Sen said all parties concerned in the dispute should fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) towards the compilation of the Code of Conduct (COC).

Earlier in the day, Kerry held talks with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and the two top diplomats also focused on economic issues and regional and international matters.

"Since the U.S. is the big market for Cambodian garment and shoes, and Cambodia is among the least developed countries, I requested U.S. to grant duty free for Cambodian garment and footwear products," Hor Namhong told reporters after the meeting.

On the recent hydrogen bomb test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Hor Namhong said Cambodia urged the DPRK to comply with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on the extremist Islamic State (IS) and voiced their condemnation on the group for their cruel acts.

Kerry arrived in Phnom Penh on Monday evening for a 24-hour visit.