Cambodia and Uruguay on Thursday signed an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders, aiming at creating close contacts among the two countries' diplomats, officials and business people, officials said.

The deal was inked here between Long Visalo, secretary of state at Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Gerardo Prato Rodriguez, Malaysia-based Ambassador of Uruguay to Cambodia.

"The agreement will help strengthen relationship between Cambodia and Uruguay," said Gerardo Prato Rodriguez, adding that Uruguay is looking forwards to building a stronger relationship with Cambodia in all fields for mutual benefits.

He also pledged to encourage Uruguayan business people to eye investment opportunities in Cambodia.

Long Visalo said, "Our two countries are very far away from each other and relations in all fields are limited, so the visa- free agreement is aimed to facilitate both sides' diplomats and officials to contact each other easier."

"Hopefully, it will help promote bilateral ties in politics, economics, trade, tourism, and culture," he said.

Uruguay is a country in the southeastern part of South America. The country forged diplomatic relations with Cambodia in 1993.

He said, to date, Cambodia has signed mutual visa-free agreements for diplomatic and official passport holders with all ASEAN countries, and India, China, South Korea, Australia, Iran, Pakistan, and Cuba among the others.