Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has affirmedVietnam’s consistent policy of strengthening its traditional friendship andcomprehensive cooperation with Cambodia.

He made the statement on October 30 while receiving General Vong Pisen, GeneralCommander of the Cambodian Royal Armed Forces, who is on an official visit toVietnam from October 29-31.

PM Phuc congratulated Vong Pisen on the latter’s new position as the head ofthe Cambodian armed forces, saying he believes that the General will continuehis efforts to better the traditional friendship between the two armies inparticular, and Vietnam-Cambodia ties in general.

Speaking highly of the outcomes of the talks between Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan VanGiang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and DeputyMinister of Defence, and General Vong Pisen, he said that the talks will helpimplement the cooperation agreements between the two defence ministries in aneffective manner.

The Government leader went on to praise their sound collaboration in the fieldsof training, border security, the fight against smuggling and humantrafficking, and search and rescue activities.

He asked the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence to coordinate with the Vietnameseside in the search and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese volunteers andexperts who were taken down in Cambodia during the war.

As both sides are preparing for the 40th anniversary of the victory over theKhmer Rouge regime (January 7, 1979-2019), PM Phuc suggested Vong Pisen urgecompetent authorities to join hands with Vietnam to organise the celebrationactivities to highlight the significance of this historic event.

He asked the Cambodian Government to create favourable conditions for borderguard forces and border localities to carry out cooperation programmes, whilestepping up popularisation to ensure that local people strictly abide byborder-related regulations for a shared border of peace, stability, anddevelopment.

Vong Pisen, for his part, informed the Vietnamese Government leader of thecooperation results between the two armies. They have made significantcontributions to the strong bonds between residents in border areas, and concertedefforts to protect border security.

They also have had smooth collaborations in the joint patrols of the borderlocalities and working on border demarcation and marker planting, he added.

The General took the occasion to thank the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence forproviding training for the Cambodian army.

The Cambodian Government and people have always treasured and will continue to treasurethe valuable support of Vietnam during its national liberation and socio-economicdevelopment, he said, underlining that Cambodia, in return, will carry on facilitatingconditions and work closely with their Vietnamese peers in the search andrepatriation of remains of Vietnamese soldiers in the country. –VNA