The Vietnamese and Cambodian Prime Ministers reached a consensus
on all contents for increasing bilateral co-operation in the future at their
talks in Phnom Penh yesterday, Nov 15.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (left) meets Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen at Phnom Penh’s Peace Palace. (Photo: VNS)

The
talks came after an official welcome ceremony Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen
held for his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung on the latter’s official
visit to Cambodia.

The two
PMs showed their satisfaction at the developments in the two countries’
relationship and expressed their determination to bring co-operation to a new
level.

After
evaluating the results of previous meetings of Vietnamese and Cambodian leaders,
the two Prime Ministers agreed to increase visits at all levels.

They
also agreed to boost bilateral co-operation in areas of high potential,
including trade, investment, banking, power energy, mining, oil and gas,
industrial crops, and transport.

The PMs
consented to encourage trade, services and co-operation between localities,
especially in the shared border areas.

They
also agreed to continue working together in the areas of security and defence
and reinforcing co-operation in combating terrorist activities, trans-national
crimes, smuggling, and drug and human trafficking.

They
reaffirmed that they would not allow any hostile forces to undermine the
countries’ relationship by using one’s territory to harm the other’s security.

The two
leaders expressed their resolve to speed up land border demarcation and border
marker planting in order to finish the work before the end of 2012. In addition,
they exchanged views on ways to promote co-operation in ASEAN and sub-regional
co-operative mechanisms.

Dung
said he was pleased to visit Cambodia again and congratulated the Cambodian
people on their achievements in developing the country and the country’s growing
position and prestige in the regional and international arena.

He spoke
highly of the conditions Cambodia has created for overseas Vietnamese to
stabilise their lives and do business.

Hun Sen
highly valued Viet Nam ’s role as the ASEAN Chair in 2010 as well as the
country’s successful organisation of the 17th ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

He took
the opportunity to express his wishes for a successful 11th National Party
Congress that Viet Nam will hold in early 2011.

The
Cambodian leader praised Vietnamese investors in particular for raising direct
investments in Cambodia at a time when many countries around the world met with
difficulties in foreign investment due to the global financial crisis.

Following the talks, the two PMs witnessed the signing of a payment agreement
between the State Bank of Viet Nam and the State Bank of Cambodia.

During
his stay in Cambodia, Dung will attend the sixth Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Summit (CLV
6), the fifth Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Viet Nam Summit (CLMV 5), and the fourth
meeting of the Ayeyawadi-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Co-operative Strategy (ACMECS
4).

Viet Nam a ‘good friend’

Dung was
later warmly welcomed by King Norodom Sihamoni on his official visit to
Cambodia. The king emphasised: “Cambodia has been lucky to have such a good
friend in Viet Nam”.

Sihamoni
expressed his hope that bilateral relations would be lifted to a new level for
the benefit of both countries.

He
concluded by asking Dung to convey best regards from his father Norodom Sihanouk
to General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Nong Duc Manh, President
Nguyen Minh Triet and other Vietnamese leaders.

In his
meeting with Senate President Chea Sim, Dung highlighted the traditional
relations enjoyed by the two countries. He said that efforts to strengthen
solidarity, traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation played an
important role in the development of both nations and contributed to peace,
stability and co-operation in Southeast Asia and the world.

The
Cambodian Senate leader, who congratulated Viet Nam for its development
achievements, said Cambodia greatly appreciated close ties with its neighbour.

Chea Sim
also appreciated co-operation between the two countries’ border provinces, and
said the two Governments should speed up planting of markers to meet the 2012
deadline.

“The
Cambodian people engrave in their hearts the sacrifice of lives and blood by
Vietnamese volunteers in their noble international mission during Cambodia’s
struggle against the genocidal regime, as well as in their national
reconstruction and development,” he said.

In a
meeting with National Assembly President Heng Samrin of Cambodia, Dung expressed
his satisfaction with the recent developments in relations between the two
countries’ legislative bodies, which was demonstrated by their support in
regional and international forums.

The
Vietnamese leader thanked the Cambodian National Assembly and its president for
strongly backing Viet Nam in its capacity as the president of the ASEAN
Inter-Parliamentary Assembly 2010.

Meanwhile, Heng Samrin praised Viet Nam for successfully holding the AIPA-2010
meeting and the 17th ASEAN Summit. He emphasised that Viet Nam’s profile had
risen internationally as a result.

In the
afternoon, Dung paid floral tributes to Cambodia’s fallen soldiers at the
Monument of Independence and Vietnamese martyrs at the Monument of Vietnamese
Volunteers. He visited the Phnom Penh office of the Bank for Investment and
Development of Cambodia, a joint-venture with Viet Nam, and the Vietnamese
embassy.

Prime
Minister Hun Sen and his wife also held a party in Dung’s honour.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News