Russian ambassador to Cambodia Anatoly Borovik (right) during the press conference on March 31. RUSSIAN EMBASSY
Russian ambassador Anatoly Borovik announced that Russia is prepared to respond to journalists in Cambodia over Moscow’s ongoing “military operation” in Ukraine, which has widely been condemned as an act of aggression on its neighbour.
Addressing a March 31 press conference on “Russia-Cambodia Relations,” Borovik said he was ready to answer questions from journalists, both electronically and through press conferences, as a friendly gesture of respect.
“I am personally ready to answer any questions Cambodian journalists may have. We will conduct press conferences in Khmer as a show of the friendly relationship we have with the Kingdom,” he said.
On bilateral relations, the envoy expressed hopes that the increased media engagement would allow the two nations to reach closer understanding, and draw attention to the fact that more than 8,000 Cambodians had mastered the Russian language, thanks to widespread scholarship programmes.
“Russia granted the scholarships because it had always paid close attention to the humanitarian and human resource development of Cambodia,” he told the conference.
“Unfortunately, the fall of the Soviet Union and the difficult economic situation of Russia in the 1990s resulted in a reduction of the numbers of scholarships we could offer,” he noted.
The ambassador said he believed that interpersonal communication is crucial to strengthening mutual understanding between the peoples of Russia and Cambodia.
“The year 2023 saw an increase to 25 scholarships to Russia – next year, that number may be as high as 40,” he said.
“The dual outcomes of the scholarship programme are that Cambodian youths will receive a quality education, while also gaining a clear understanding of the beauty and culture of Russia,” he added.
Diplomatic ties between Russia and many countries around the world have changed dramatically following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged that the Ukrainian government was biased towards the West and intended to join NATO, which he said posed a threat to Russian security.
