Jabbing paper portraits of King Norodom Sihamoni in the air and waving miniature Indonesian and Cambodian flags, thousands of students dutifully lined the streets of Phnom Penh to welcome Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday afternoon.
Making his first visit to Cambodia, Yudhoyono was accompanied by Indonesian First Lady Ani Bambang Yudhoyono and a 23-strong delegation, who were greeted at Phnom Penh International Airport by King Sihamoni and a host of government officials led by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The Indonesian president’s two-day visit is the first in an expected trio of important state visits to Cambodia, officials said.
Next week, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai is scheduled to make an visit to Phnom Penh, said information minister and government spokesman Khieu Kanharith.
Khieu Kanharith could neither confirm nor deny reports that a delegation of top Chinese officials will visit in April. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hem Heng refused to comment on any visits to Cambodia.
Yudhoyono was scheduled to meet with the King, Hun Sen, National Assembly President Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Senate President Chea Sim on Tuesday evening to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation, an Indonesian Embassy official.
The Indonesian president will depart today, the embassy official added.
