President Sang starts Cambodia visit on bid to boost relations

President Truong Tan Sang (second left) meets with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni in Phnom Penh. The President started his two-day visit yesterday. - VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Khang

King Sihamoni hailed the visit as an important milestone in the bilateral friendship and well-rounded co-operation between the two countries.

He reiterated that the Cambodia people never forgot the invaluable support that the Vietnamese Party, State, Government and people had given Cambodia in every circumstance as well as in national construction and development.

Cambodia would continue fostering solidarity with Viet Nam, the host said.

President Sang said Viet Nam always treasured and appreciated the fine sentiment and assistance that King Sihamoni and the late King Norodom Sihanouk as well as the Cambodian people had given to Viet Nam during the past struggle for national independence as well as current development.

He expressed his belief that the King, in his noble position, would continue to strengthen ties with Viet Nam for the benefit of the two peoples.

Both host and guest shared the wish that the demarcation of land borders would be completed soon, helping build a borderline of peace, friendship, co-operation and development between the two countries.

Sang asked King Sihamoni to continue creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese living in the country to fit in with the local society.

During President Sang's separate meetings with Cambodian National Assembly Chairman Heng Samrin, First Vice President of the Senate Say Chum and Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Cambodian leaders showed their deep gratitude to the Vietnamese State, Government, and people for helping Cambodian people escape from the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979.

The leaders pledged to continue supporting the development of traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation with Viet Nam.

The top legislators and the President were delighted about the growing ties between the two countries contributed to largely by the co-operation between their law-making bodies.

They agreed to increase communication campaigns to educate the younger generations on the tradition of solidarity, friendship, co-operation and mutual assistance between the two countries.

At the meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen, the leaders agreed to implement fully previously agreed principles, including not allowing any hostile forces to use the territory of one country to threaten the other's security.

They vowed to make active contributions to peace, stability and development in the region and beyond.

The Cambodian and Vietnamese leaders agreed to push for the early completion of border demarcation and market planting in order to build a border of peace, friendship, co-operation and development.

They also agreed to create favourable conditions for businesses to forge trade links towards the target of 5 billion USD in bilateral trade in 2015.

They will continue to work closely together at multilateral forums and support the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law and regional commitments, while collaborating with other members of the Mekong River Commission to ensure the sustainable management and use of Mekong River's resources.

The leaders also discussed regional and global issues of mutual concern.

Viet Nam and Cambodia set up diplomatic ties in June 1967. Two-way trade reached $3.34 billion in 2013, and $2.6 billion in the first 10 months of this year.

Vietnamese investors are running 134 projects in Cambodia with registered capital of $3.36 billion, focusing on industrial tree farming, mining, oil and gas exploration, telecommunications and banking.

Border work

Viet Nam and Cambodia signed documents yesterday stating their determination to build the two countries' shared border of peace, friendship and comprehensive co-operation for mutual development as agreed at the fourth conference on the theme.

A joint statement relating to the work to be carried out from 2014-2016 was inked at the conference, which was held by the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee and the National Council of Solidarity Front for the Development of Cambodia's Motherland (SFDCM) in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang.

The two sides will boost communication campaigns to raise local residents' awareness of traditional relations and co-operation, while increasing exchanges at all levels.

They also pledged to ask local residents to support border demarcation work.

The two countries plan to share information and urge their citizens to take part in political events, contributing to a peaceful and sustainable Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific region.

In addition, the two sides will help respective enterprises to invest in projects to promote socio-economic development to the benefit of both peoples, while supporting efforts to alleviate poverty.

The Viet Nam Fatherland Front and SFDCM also reviewed the implementation of the joint statement reached at the 2012 conference in Ratanakiri, Cambodia.

The fifth conference will be held in Cambodia in 2017.