Viet Nam, Cambodia vow to foster closer MASTER-SLAVE ties

Cambodian women made to kneel to Commie Nguyen Phu Trong?

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (left) walks the red carpet with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni in a welcoming ceremony in Phnom Penh. — VNA/VNS Photo Tri Dung

Viet Nam, Cambodia vow to foster closer bilateral ties

December, 07 2011
VNS (Hanoi)

Trong invited King Sihamoni, former King Sihanouk and the Queen Mother to visit Viet Nam regularly.

PHNOM PENH — Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni have affirmed their resolve to foster and strengthen neighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries. 

They made the announcement during talks in Phnom Penh yesterday and described the relationship between the two countries as vital to Vietnamese and Cambodian prosperity.

They said the relationship was also a contribution from both countries to strengthening peace, stability, cooperation and development in Southeast Asia and the world at large.

The Cambodian king welcomed the State visit by Trong, highlighting it as an important event to promote ties between the two countries.

He expressed deep gratitude to valuable support and assistance that the Vietnamese Government, Party and people had given to the Cambodian people during their struggle for national liberation, escaping from the genocidial regime, recovering and developing the country.

Trong said Viet Nam always attached great importance to relations with Cambodia, which were important to the development of the region.

Later Trong and his entourage visited former King Norodom Sihanouk and the Queen Mother. Former King Sihanouk said Cambodia-Viet Nam relations were as strong as ever and that the two sides needed to continue tightening co-operative ties.

Trong on behalf of the Party, State and people of Viet Nam presented 100 computers to the Cambodian King, which he will present to local schools and education centres.

Trong invited King Sihamoni, former King Sihanouk and the Queen Mother to visit Viet Nam regularly.

Meeting the leadership

Also yesterday, Trong met with top Cambodian leaders in Phnom Penh.

Trong held separate sessions with Prime Minister Hun Sen, vice president of the Cambodian People's Party; Senate president Chea Sim, president of the Cambodian People's Party; and acting National Assembly chairman Nguon Nhel.

Trong reaffirmed Viet Nam's consistent policy of attaching importance to maintaining and unceasingly strengthening the solidarity, tradition of friendship and comprehensive co-operation between Viet Nam and Cambodia – a valuable treasure of both nations and a factor in ensuring each country's success in national reconstruction and defence.

Viet Nam would support Cambodia to fulfill its mission as the ASEAN Chair in 2012 and work with regional countries to find effective solutions to ensure peace and security in the region, Trong said.

The Party leader expressed his hope that the Cambodian government and local authorities would create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community living in Cambodia.

The Cambodian leaders highly valued the importance and significance of the first visit to Cambodia by Trong in his capacity as Party General Secretary. They expressed pleasure with results of talks between Trong and Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, as well as the two countries' issuance of a joint statement which affirms principles and orientations steering future bilateral relations.

They expressed their deep gratitude to the Party, State, army and people of Viet Nam for their great, wholehearted and effective support and assistance, especially in helping the Cambodian people escape a genocidal regime. The services of the Vietnamese were recognised in Cambodia's history, they said.

They affirmed their resolve to do their utmost to tighten the solidarity, tradition of friendship and multifaceted co-operation with Viet Nam, creating an environment of peace, stability and sustainable development for both countries.

Trong and his hosts updated each other on the state of their respective country's socio-economic development and shared views on international and regional issues of common concern. Both sides discussed a number of ways to boost comprehensive co-operation in all fields, including high-level meetings and contacts, education and friendship exchanges among all walks of people, especially youth, and designation of 2012 as the Viet Nam-Cambodia Friendship Year to mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

The two sides agreed to continue implementing co-operative agreements on defence and security; co-ordinating to prevent political or military forces to use the territory of one country to wage war against another; working in fighting transnational crime and illegal immigration; co-operating in border defence and security; maintaining a joint sea-patrol mechanism; and co-ordinating in searching for and repatriating remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who died in Cambodia.

They also agreed to improve the quality and efficiency of investment and accelerate bilateral trade, targeting an annual trade of $5 billion by 2015.

They were unanimous on increasing exchanges of information and co-ordination in international and regional organisations and multilateral fora, contributing to maintaining an environment of peace, stability and co-operation in the region and globally. Both sides agreed to continue to efficiently implement bilateral treaties, agreements and pacts on borders.

Trong invited Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Nguon Nhel to visit Viet Nam, and the Cambodian leaders accepted the invitation.

Trong yesterday also received a delegation of the Cambodia-Viet Nam Friendship Association led by Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An, chairwoman of the association and head of the Cambodia-Viet Nam parliamentarians group.

Last night, King Norodom Sihamoni hosted a banquet in honour of Trong and his delegation.