By AZE.US
BAKU, Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan and Cambodia have formed a joint working group on trade and investment and agreed to begin discussions on direct air service as the two countries seek to turn growing political contacts into practical economic cooperation.
The agreements were announced Oct. 12 after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held talks in Baku with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who was on an official visit to Azerbaijan.
Aliyev said current trade between the two countries remains very low. He said the working group would address practical trade and investment issues and help businesses in both countries learn more about opportunities in the other market.
Manufacturing, Tourism and Air Links
The talks covered possible joint manufacturing projects across several sectors, along with cooperation in tourism and education. Aliyev noted that hundreds of Cambodian citizens studied in Azerbaijan during the Soviet period and proposed reviving that tradition.
Hun Manet said the two sides agreed to begin discussing direct flights. The announcement does not mean an air route has been approved or scheduled; it marks the start of negotiations toward a possible service.
Cambodia also expressed support for Azerbaijan’s effort to obtain observer status with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Aliyev described Southeast Asia as a foreign-policy priority for Baku and highlighted Azerbaijan’s position on transport routes between Asia and Europe.
Land Mines and Reconstruction
Aliyev said more than 400 people had been killed or injured by land mines since Azerbaijan regained control of territories after the 2020 war. He said about 100,000 people now live and work in areas undergoing reconstruction.
The leaders attended an exchange of signed documents, although the official announcement available at publication time did not provide their full terms. Hun Manet invited Aliyev to visit Cambodia.