The Cambodian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission in its third meeting here on Thursday called for further strengthened cooperation in economy, and science and technology as well as trade ties between the two countries.

Cambodian Secretary of State of Foreign Ministry Uch Borith and Viacheslav A. Fetisov, chairman of the Russian Part of the Russian- Cambodian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, attended the meeting.

In the Agreed Minutes signed after the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction of the progress achieved since the last meeting and hope to promote bilateral economic and trade relations into a new stage.

Both sides acknowledged that Cambodia and Russia have more rooms for cooperation and agreed to strengthen their cooperation in culture, education, sports, tourism, agriculture, public health, infrastructure, and energy such as the exploitation on petroleum and natural gas.

Russia also promised to increase its investment in above fields, as well as in the field of human resources development.

According to the Agreed Minutes, Cambodia's trade with Russia totaled 3.9 million US dollars in 2004, a 2.5 percent increase compared to 2003. As the bilateral trade reached to 3.8 million dollars in the first six months this year, it is expected the total trade volume this year will grow by 65-70 percent.

They decided the fourth meeting of the Commission would be held in Moscow in 2006.

Source: Xinhua