Comrade Men Xam An on a kowtow visit to Hanoi to thank her Yuon masters

Khmer Rouge defeat marked

January, 09 2012
VNS (Hanoi)

HA NOI — A meeting was held in Ha Noi on Saturday to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Victory over the Khmer Rouge Genocidal Regime in Cambodia.

Cambodian Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam On joined Vietnamese Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh at the ceremony.

President of the Viet Nam-Cambodia Friendship Association Vu Mao affirmed the historical significance of the victory on January 7, 1979, saying that it opened up an era of independence, peace, freedom and development for Cambodia.

This was a victory of justice and the fighting solidarity between the Vietnamese and Cambodian peoples, he added.

During three years of rule, the Pol Pot regime killed more than two million Cambodian people. It also launched a bloody war violating Viet Nam's territorial sovereignty.

In response to the urgent appeal for help by the Cambodian people, and also to exercise its legitimate right of self-defence to protect the sacred Vietnamese fatherland, the Vietnamese army and people helped the Cambodian people overturn the genocidal regime.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam On thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their great assistance in fighting the regime.

This historical victory was an undeniable truth, she affirmed, adding that the Cambodian people had overcome all hardships to successfully implement reconstruction and confidently integrate into the international community.

In Phnom Penh, a meeting was held with the attendance of President of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and President of the Senate Chea Sim, CPP's Vice President and Prime Minister Hun Sen, CPP's Honorary Chairman and President of Cambodia's National Assembly Heng Samrin, representatives of the royal political party FUNCINPEC and other parties, together with thousands of people around the capital city. The Vietnamese ambassador to Cambodia Ngo Anh Dung and other ambassadors, representatives of diplomatic and international organisations also attended.

VN, Cambodia ties

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh expressed hope for closer attachment between the Vietnamese and Cambodian Governments and people at a reception held for his Cambodian counterpart Men Sam On.

Ninh welcomed the Cambodian Royal Government's delegation to the meeting in Ha Noi.

Later on Saturday, the Cambodian Royal Government's delegation was received by Politburo member and permanent member of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee's Secretariat Le Hong Anh in Ha Noi.

Anh thanked the Cambodian Party, State and people for their valuable support to Viet Nam and said he hoped both sides would effectively organise the Viet Nam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2012.

He affirmed that the traditional neighbouring friendship and long-term comprehensive co-operation between Viet Nam and Cambodia was a valuable asset of the two nations that needed to be preserved for each country's prosperous development and for peace, national independence, democracy and social progress in the world.