Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc held talks with Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen after agrand welcome ceremony for the guest in Hanoi on October 4.

At the talks, both leaders affirmed that theVietnam-Cambodia ties are close and inseparable brotherly relations.

PM Hun Sen once again thanked Vietnam for itsvaluable assistance to Cambodia in its struggle to overthrow the genocidalregime as well as its help in Cambodia’s reconstruction efforts even whenVietnam was suffering difficulties due to embargo.

The two PMs highly evaluated the signing of twolegal documents recognising the completion of 84 percent of land demarcation andmarker planting, describing this as a historical milestone in thesettlement of border issues between the two countries as well as in buildingthe shared border of peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainabledevelopment.

They also recognised positive development stridesin the bilateral relations over the past time, especially growth in trade andtourism, and reached high consensus on measures to boost cooperation in thecoming time.

The two leaders agreed to constantly strengthenbilateral relations under the motto of “good neighbourliness, traditionalfriendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability” in thespirit of trust, equality, mutual respect and cooperation for mutually-beneficialbenefits.

They agreed to deepen the political ties by increasingthe exchange of all-level delegations and promoting the efficiency of dialogueand bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

The two PMs vowed to increase the exchange ofviewpoints on strategic security matters and strengthen coordination to firmlydefend the peaceful environment, security and stability in each country whilepersistently pursuing the principle of not allowing any organisations andindividuals to use one country’s territory to harm the other’s security.

They held that, as two neighbours, Vietnam andCambodia hold huge potential and advantages to further step  upcooperation in economy, trade and investment.

They agreed to promote connectivity between thetwo economies, especially connecting roads, waterway routes, electricity,tourism, finance and banking.

The two sides will coordinate to buildfavourable policy frameworks for businesses of both countries, particularlysmall-and medium-sized enterprises to expand investment.

The PMs agreed to instruct the two countries’ministries and sectors to work out more measures to increase the bilateraltrade in the coming years, which is likely to surpass 5 billion USD in 2019.

PM Hun Sen took this occasion to thankVietnam for providing non-refundable aid for Cambodia to fund the constructionof the National Assembly building, a drug rehabilitation centre in PreahSihanouk province and a model border market, among others, as well as grant alot of scholarships for Cambodian students and Government public servants.

The two PMs reached consensus on finding themost suitable measures to help Vietnamese-Cambodians have stable lives andlegal status so that they can make contributions to the socio-economicdevelopment in the host nation.

Touching on regional and international issues, they emphasised the significanceof maintaining peace, security and stability in the region, and affirmed closecoordination to build and develop the ASEAN Community, uphold the ASEAN’sprinciples, while consolidating solidarity and resilience, and promoting thecentral role of the bloc.

Besides, the leaders consented to boost cooperation in theCambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle and Greater Mekong Sub-region tonarrow the development gap, and better manage and effectively use Mekong River’swater resources towards realising the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The two nations will cooperate closely in 2020 when Vietnam takes over the roleof ASEAN Chair and Cambodia hosts the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM13), they stressed.

After the talk, the two leaders witnessed the signing of seven cooperativedocuments, including an aid agreement on financing construction of the buildingof the Cambodian National Assembly’s Secretariat, an aid agreement on thebuilding of a drug rehabilitation centre in Preah Sihanouk province, aMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) on customs cooperation, an MoU on tradepromotion cooperation, an MoU on border trade infrastructure development, an MoUon construction progress and handover of a model border market in Da commune,Cambodia’s Tbong Khmum province, and an MoU on electricity cooperation.

Party leader-President Nguyen Phu Trong receives Cambodian leader

Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong (R) shakes hands with visiting President of the Cambodian People’s Party and Prime Minister of Cambodia Samdech Techo Hun Sen

Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong hosted a reception on October 4 for visiting President of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and Prime Minister of Cambodia Samdech Techo Hun Sen.

Party General Secretary and President Trong hailed the significance of the visit by Hun Sen and the Cambodian Government delegation and congratulated Cambodia over the great accomplishments that the Cambodian people have achieved in the recent past.

He expressed the belief that under the reign of King Norodom Sihamoni and the leadership of the Senate, the National Assembly and the Government, the Cambodian people will overcome all difficulties to reap even greater achievements for national prosperity and happiness of the people.

CPP President and PM Hun Sen congratulated Vietnam over its important achievements recently, and expressed his joy at the strengthened relations between Cambodia and Vietnam.

Informing his host on the situation in Cambodia and the outcomes of his talks with PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, PM Hun Sen affirmed that his government will continue working closely with the Vietnamese government to further promote the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Hun Sen voiced his pleasure at the signing of many cooperative documents between Cambodia and Vietnam, particularly the two documents recognized the completion of 84 percent of workload in the delimitation and marker planting along the land border between the two countries. He said he will strive for the goal of completing all the delimitation and marker planting work within the Cambodian government’s sixth tenure.

Party General Secretary and President Trong said he rejoiced at the constant development of the relations between the two parties, States and people. He welcomed the two countries’ activities to mark 40 years since the day the two nations fought side by side against the genocidal regime of Khmer Rouge.

Trong spoke highly of the cooperation between the two governments over the recent past and the efforts of the two countries’ ministries, agencies, sectors and localities to well implement agreements signed between the two governments.

He valued the outcomes of the talks between the two PMs, particularly the organization of a conference reviewing land border delimitation and border marker planting, and the signing of two legal documents recognized the results of the work in the field.

The signed documents will serve as important foundation for the two countries to work toward full completion of land border delimitation and border marker planting, thus building a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development between Vietnam and Cambodia, the Vietnamese Party and State leader said./.

National Assembly Chairwoman meets Cambodian Prime Minister

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) and PM Hun Sen

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan met with visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen in Hanoi on October 5.

Hailing the significance of PM Hun Sen’s visit, the NA leader stressed that Vietnam always treasures the relations with Cambodia and pays attention to promoting the ties so as to enhance political trust, mutually-beneficial sustainable cooperation between the two countries.

Ngan congratulated the Cambodian PM over the results of his Vietnam visit, particularly the signing of a number of important documents, including two legal documents recognizing the outcome of the demarcation of and marker planting along the land border between the two countries. She said those results lay the important foundation for Vietnam and Cambodia to move forward and complete all the boundary delimitation and marker planting work, thus building a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development between the two countries.

The top legislator said the Vietnamese NA will consider and approve the two legal documents on border delimitation and border marker planting between Vietnam and Cambodia at the coming session.

She asked PM Hun Sen to continue creating favourable conditions for the community of people of Vietnamese origin in Cambodia to have a stable life and legal status.

Highlighting the good relations between the parliaments of the two countries, Chairwoman Ngan expressed her hope that Cambodia will support and coordinate with Vietnam when the latter assumes the Chair of ASEAN and Chair of the 41st ASEAN Inter-parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41) in 2020.

For his part, PM Hun Sen informed his host that electricity grids and telephone lines had been installed in areas along the border of the two countries, facilitating the daily life of local residents.

He said a major issue at present is to bolster investment and trade ties between the two countries, noting that the current 5 billion USD bilateral trade value is far below their potential.

The PM took the occasion to thank Vietnam for helping Cambodia train human resources, and expressed his belief that the legislative bodies of Vietnam and Cambodia will soon ratify the two documents recognizing the completed 84 percent workload in land border demarcation and marker planting./.

Vietnamese, Cambodian PMs chair conference reviewing border demarcation

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and PM Samdech Techo Hun Sen sign Supplementary Treaty to the 1985 Treaty on the Delimitation of National Boundaries and the Supplementary Treaty 2005

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen co-chaired a conference in Hanoi on October 5 to review land border demarcation and marker planting work of the two countries in the 2006 – 2019 period.

Vietnam and Cambodia share about 1,245 km of border line. The two countries have been conducting boundary delimitation and border marker planting work since early 1986 based on signed agreements. As of December last year, they completed about 84 percent of the workload.

At the conference, the two government leaders signed a Supplementary Treaty to the 1985 Treaty on the Delimitation of National Boundaries and the Supplementary Treaty 2005 between Vietnam and Cambodia.

They also witnessed the signing of a protocol on land border demarcation and marker planting between the two countries.

Speaking at the event, PM Phuc hailed the completion of 84 percent of border delimitation work as of December 2018, saying that it is an important achievement of bilateral cooperation to settle border issues.

He said the two newly-signed documents, along with other legal agreements related to border already signed, will create an important legal framework for borderline management and development between the two countries, for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.

PM Hun Sen, for his part, said the signing of the two historic documents demonstrated a proud step forward of Vietnam-Cambodia cooperation in settling border issues.

“That is the result of the efforts of the Vietnamese Prime Minister and me, along with the Vietnam-Cambodia joint border committee and administrations at all levels of the two countries over the past 14 years, since after the signing of the supplementary treaty in 2005,” he said.

The Cambodia PM said Cambodia is paying more attention to the construction of infrastructure, roads, markets and production facilities in border areas, thus benefiting residents of both countries and contributing to cooperation and development among Greater Mekong Sub-region countries and ASEAN member states.

He called on the two countries’ authorities and citizens to build a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

The two leaders agreed to direct units concerned to continue working closely in the work.

PM Phuc suggested the two countries cooperate to devise an agreement on border and border gate management regulations to replace the agreement signed in 1983./.