Buddhism ‘foundation’ for increased ties with Nepal
PRIME Minister Hun Sen and chairman of the Nepalese National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timilsina met at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on May 2, sharing expectations that bilateral relations between the two countries would increase rapidly due to their cultural similarities.
Timilsina is visiting Cambodia as part of the World Fellowship of Buddhists who honoured Hun Sen with the title of “Patron” on the same day.
The prime minister took to social media to describe how Timilsina had visited Cambodia six months ago and was excited to be back to promote closer ties and cooperation.
“We believe that we will develop closer ties in the fields of culture, tourism and investment, and intend to sign several agreements. Timilsina is confident that based on the similarities that we share, especially Buddhism, the relationship between the two countries will grow very quickly,” he said.
“I agreed with him, and believe we will boost cooperation,” he added.
Hun Sen said the honorary title ‘Patron of the World Fellowship of Buddhists’ was a great honour to him, and a source of personal pride, as he had been raised as a pagoda boy, and strictly followed
Buddhist teachings.
He was also bestowed with an honorary doctoral degree in humanities from Indonesia’s State University of Padang (SUP).
Following the ceremony, he meet with a delegation from the WFB and SUP, which included WFB president Phallop Thaiarry and Mahyeldi Ansharullah, governor of West Sumatra, Indonesia.
Ansharullahn told the prime minister that SUP had granted just four honorary doctoral
degrees, all of them to world leaders who are rich in experience, both at home and on the international stage.
Ansharullah invited Hun Sen to deliver a future address at the university, noted that he could expect an audience of around 3,000.
Hun Sen said he would consider delivering the address, as it would improve peopleto-people relationships, as well as international ties.
Yang Peou, secretary-general of the Royal Academy of
Cambodia, said that Cambodia and Nepal were sure to expand their cooperation in many areas, with Buddhism as the foundation.
“We can develop our religious ties by sharing our holy sites and making pilgrimage exchanges; we can also increase the flow of tourism and trade,” he added.
“I believe that religion still plays a vital role in most countries, regardless of their economic development,” he concluded.