VietNamNet Bridge – The 13th meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee convened in Phnom Penh on February 11 to discuss bilateral cooperation across economics, culture, science, and technology.

Representatives from both sides focused on reviewing the results of cooperative agreements reached during the Joint Committee’s 12th meeting   

High-level visit exchanges have included Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to Cambodia in December 2011, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit in January 2014, and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s November 2013 visit to Vietnam.

Two-way trade turnover reached US$3.5 billion in 2013. Vietnam’s 128 Cambodia-based investment projects are capitalised at over US$3 billion. Both nations have stepped up cooperation in education and training telecommunications; agro-forestry and fisheries; finance and banking; health; aviation; energy, oil, and gas; and security and national defence.

Both sides also discussed the necessary reforms to help businesses streamline their operations and push trade turnover over US$5 billion by 2015.

They committed to strengthening cooperation in transport, telecommunications, finance, banking, and tourism.

Representatives want to encourage expanded inter-ministerial and inter-locality sports and cultural exchanges.

They reiterated the mutual determination to finalize land border demarcation in the interests of maintaining a stable and peaceful border.

Collaboration will continue in the search for and repatriation of Vietnamese voluntary soldier remains. Both sides also agreed to ensure legitimate rights of residents of both nations.

The two sides emphasized the importance of protecting the Mekong River through the sustainable use of water resources and via multilateral bodies like the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS), the Mekong River Commission (MRC), and Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle.

Cooperation at international forums such as the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) will also be consolidated.

Both Deputy Prime Ministers believed the 13th meeting’s results lay solid foundations for relevant ministries, agencies, and localities to build upon cooperative relationships in the future.

They concluded the meeting with a memorandum of understanding scheduling the 14th joint committee meeting for 2015, hosted by Vietnam.

Deputy PM Minh welcomed in Cambodia

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has welcomed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, who is in Phnom Penh to co-chair the 13th meeting of the Vietnam–Cambodia Joint Committee on Economic, Cultural and Scientific-Technological Cooperation.

At a February 11 reception for the Vietnamese diplomat, Hun Sen praised the Vietnam–Cambodia Joint Committee mechanism for boosting all-sided cooperation between the two countries, especially in issues of mutual concern.

He said is satisfied with the fine Vietnam–Cambodia relationship, demonstrated by his visit to Vietnam from December 26-28 last year, and PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to his country from January 12-14 this year.

Hun Sen promised to ask relevant ministries, agencies and localities to work closely with Vietnam to facilitate the implementation of cooperation agreements reached by their leaders in the two peoples’ interests.

Deputy PM Minh, for his part, congratulated the Cambodian people’s achievements under the leadership of the Government led by Hun Sen over the past 35 years since the Khmer Rouge’s genocidal regime was overthrown in 1979.

He also voiced his confidence in Cambodia’s national construction under the reign of King Norodom Sihamoni and the leadership of its Parliament and Government.

Source: VOV