Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel congratulated Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni on the occasion of today's 69th anniversary of the national Declaration of Independence, after nearly a century of French domination.
 
Diaz-Canel delivered the message through the Cuban ambassador here, Liurka Rodriguez, conveying to His Majesty the warmest congratulations on behalf of the Cuban people and government, accompanied by best wishes for the prosperity and welfare of the Cambodian people.
 
The Cuban head of state also reiterated "the will to continue strengthening the ties of friendship and cooperation between our countries".
 
For his part, the monarch Norodom Sihamoni thanked Díaz-Canel for his letter, which he described as warm, and praised the existing ties between the peoples of Cuba and Cambodia.
 
Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero also sent a congratulatory message to his counterpart Hun Sen, in which he recalled the recent and historic exchange of visits between the two heads of government, who traveled to Havana and Phnom Penh, respectively.
 
Marrero highlighted the bilateral meeting held in early October with Hun Sen in Havana and called for further strengthening friendship and cooperation.
 
Meanwhile, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez greeted his Cambodian counterpart and Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, to whom he reiterated the willingness to continue strengthening ties between the two countries.
 
The ceremony commemorating the 69th anniversary of national independence took place this morning at the monument that perpetuates that date (November 9, 1953) and during it His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni lit the "flame of victory", which will remain burning for three days.