Cambodian has tried to secure support from Spain for its application for non-permanent membership of the Security Council of the United Nations from 2013 to 2014, an official told Xinhua on Friday.

The Cambodian deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Hor Nam Hong, expressed this desire to Spanish Deputy Foreign Minister Leire Pajin Iraola, who arrived here on Thursday on a two-day visit, said Ros Simara, head of the information department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Iraola promised to report this issue to the minister, he said.

Cambodia has not assumed any major posts in the United Nations for a long time and now it hopes to apply for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council from 2013 to 2014, he added.

Meanwhile, Ros Simara confirmed that Spain will open its embassy in Cambodia in 2008.

Hor Nam Hong has asked the Spanish side to open the embassy as soon as possible in order to make it easy for both countries to cooperate on bilateral issues, he added.

In addition, said Ros Simara, the deputy foreign minister apologized for canceling the official visit of Queen Sofia of Spain to Cambodia, originally scheduled for Feb. 8, because one of her relatives died of road accident.

The queen will realize her visit to Cambodia in an appropriate time in the future, he added.

Source: Xinhua