Cambodia always regards Vietnam as its good friend, brother and neighbour in every period, said the visiting Cambodian National Assembly (NA) President, Heng Samrin while meeting with President Truong Tan Sang in Hanoi on August 18.

President Truong Tan Sang (R) welcomes Cambodian National Assembly (NA) President Heng Samrin.

At the reception, President Sang expressed his conviction that the visit will contribute to further strengthening bilateral relations and hailed Cambodia’s socio-economic achievements that have helped improve people’s living conditions and affirm the country’s internationally rising status.

“Vietnam is willing to support Cambodia in developing into a prosperous nation and performing well its role as a proactive ASEAN member.” Sang said.

The Vietnamese State leader suggested both sides should increase education and healthcare cooperation, elevate the two-way trade turnover to US$5 billion next year, and boost coordination at regional and international forums.

Sang said he hopes that Cambodia's NA will enter a new stage of development with many new successes under the clear-sighted leadership of NA leader Heng Samrin.

President Heng Samrin expressed satisfaction with the fine development of diplomatic relations between the two countries in various fields and hoped that the historical solidarity will continue to grow and flourish.

He also briefed his host on the Cambodian legislative body’s operations including advantages and disadvantages that need to be addressed in the time ahead.

Heng Samrin thanked Vietnam for its great support given to his nation’s past struggle for escaping from the genocidal regime and the current national construction in a multitude of areas such as infrastructure development, human resource training, humanitarian aid.

Receiving the Cambodian NA leader the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed his delight at the flourishing bilateral relations and reiterated Vietnam’s greater efforts to continue boosting cooperation across the board with Cambodia.

The Government leader said he hopes that President Heng Samrin and the Cambodian NA will continue supporting the two countries’ joint efforts in land border demarcation and marker planting in the spirit of friendship and sincerity in conformity with their laws and international practices.

Dung also asked the Cambodian NA to help with the definition of the Vietnamese community’s legal status, enabling them to integrate better into the Cambodian society and contribute to the resident country’s development as well as bilateral ties.

He also urged the Cambodian NA will continue support for the search and repatriation of the remains of more than 5,000 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers fallen in the country.

Concerning the recent acts of some Khmer Kampuchea Krom extremists such as conducting illegal demonstrations against Vietnam and even burning the country’s national flag, which hurt Vietnamese people, PM Dung asked the Cambodian legislature and Government to take proper measures to prevent similar cases in the future.

Heng Samrin said he feels regret about the demonstration against Vietnam, especially the burning of the national flag of the country, saying that these actions were done by a group of extremists who were incited by some elements with limited knowledge about the two countries’ history.

Vietnam is Cambodia’s leading economic, Heng Samrin said while believing that Vietnam will continue backing Cambodia’s development through enhancing partnership in economics, trade and investment and encouraging more Cambodian investments.

Vietnam, Cambodia beef up legislative cooperation

Vietnam and Cambodia have agreed to boost comprehensive cooperation aimed at maintaining peace, political stability and enhancing the prestige of the National Assembly (NA) of each country on the world stage.

The agreement was reached at a welcoming reception on August 18 in Hanoi hosted by Nguyen Sinh Hung for visiting Cambodian NA President Heng Samrin, who is leading a high-ranking Cambodian NA delegation on an official visit to Vietnam from August 18-20.

Hung highlighted the significance of the Vietnam visit by Cambodian guests after the two countries celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Southwest border defence war victory that wiped out invaders and helped Cambodia overthrow the genocide regime in 1979.

The visit shows the special sentiments of the Cambodian NA and people towards Vietnam, representing a milestone in fostering the time-honoured friendship, cooperation and solidarity between the two countries, he stated.

The Vietnamese top legislator praised Cambodia’s political and economic achievements and vowed to assist Cambodia in overcoming difficulties and challenges caused by hostile forces.

Hung stressed the need to reinforce solidarity between Vietnam and Cambodia to protect their achievements and provide mutual support for further development. He also pledged the Vietnam NA and people’s support for Cambodia’s party guidelines in promoting peace, national unification, independence, and development.

For his part, the Cambodian NA President expressed his wish to continue forging bilateral cooperation, especially in trade to lift the two-way trade turnover to higher the current US$2.5 billion.

Samrin informed his host about the political and socio-economic situations, including the NA election. The success of the election has helped Cambodia ensure political stability and implement initial steps of development, he said.

He thanked the Vietnamese legislative body for valuable assistance and hoped that both sides will boost visit exchange and share legislative experience for mutual benefit.

The two NA leader consented to step up all-around cooperation and solidarity with a view to dealing with regional and global issues of mutual concern for maintaining peace Both sides pledged to enhance parliamentary cooperation and sustainably develop the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

On the occasion, NA Chairman Hung invited Heng Samrin and other Cambodian senior officials to attend the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) General Assembly to be hosted by Vietnam in 2015.

VNA/VOV/VNN