PHNOM PENH — Việt Nam and Cambodia have agreed to continue their mutual support and close collaboration in order to strengthen the “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive, sustainable and long-term co-operation” between the two countries.

This was the thrust of a meeting between President Trần Đại Quang and Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni in Phnom Penh yesterday during the Vietnamese leader’s two-day State visit to Cambodia. 
The guest congratulated the Cambodian people on their achievements in recent years expressed great appreciation for the King’s role in national reconciliation and development. 
Việt Nam has always treasured the valuable support of King Norodom Sihamoni, the late King Norodom Sihanouk and the Cambodian people for Việt Nam during its past struggle for national independence and on its present course of national construction and development, he said. 

Quang expressed his hope that King Norodom Sihamoni would continue his assistance to help the Vietnamese in Cambodia stabilise their lives and make more contributions to the development of the host country, as well as to bilateral ties. 

Việt Nam always seeks to work together with Cambodia to consolidate and further develop the friendship and co-operation between the two countries for the sake of the two countries’ people and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world at large, he said, expressing confidence that the King would continue to nurture the relationship. 

The two sides agreed to cooperate in organising activities marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967). 
They also agreed to teach young people more about the solidarity and traditional friendship between the nations, while increasing the exchange of delegations, especially between residents of their border areas. 

Quang invited King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk to visit Việt Nam at a suitable time. The King accepted with pleasure. 

The host described the Vietnamese President’s visit as a milestone in deepening the countries’ friendship and comprehensive cooperation in a sustainable fashion.  He thanked the Vietnamese Party, State, Government and people for their great support of Cambodia, especially their contribution to national reconciliation in the country. 

Cambodia will continue to promote the solidarity, friendship and affiliation between the two countries, he said, voicing his hope that Việt Nam would provide more support for Cambodian development.

President meets Cambodian legislature, government leaders

Later the same day, President Quang met leaders of Cambodian legislature and government in Phnom Penh, assuring them that the Vietnamese Party, State and people always do their best to foster the neighbourly friendship, solidarity and all-around cooperation with Cambodia.
Senate President Say Chhum and National Assembly Chairman Heng Samrin said the Cambodian people will never forget the sacrifices made by Vietnamese voluntary soldiers to save Cambodia from the genocidal regime and win the historic victory on January 7, 1979.
NA Chairman Heng Samrin spoke highly of close co-operation between the legislative bodies of Cambodia and Việt Nam on bilateral and multilateral channels, particularly at regional and global inter-parliamentary forums.
President Quang stressed that the two countries need to further tighten solidarity and friendship to meet the expectations of the two peoples amid complicated developments in the region and the world at present.
In the meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Vietnamese President expressed his belief that the Cambodian People’s Party and the government led by Hun Sen will continue taking the country on the way toward prosperity in the coming years.
He thanked his host for directing support for Vietnamese nationals living in Cambodia in the past, adding that he hopes the Hun Sen government will deal with difficulties faced by them, especially those regarding their legal position, to help them settle down in the host country.
Both host and guest committed to fully realising commitments to contribute to peace, stability and development in the region and the world, facilitating high-level visits and people-to-people exchanges.
They agreed to direct their ministries and agencies to work closely together to fine-tune relevant mechanisms and agreements to push forward trade, investment, economic connectivity, education-training, and tourism.
The two sides also vowed to consider measures to raise bilateral trade to US$5 billion, including the signing of an agreement on double taxation avoidance and building of a programme to connect the two economies, especially cross-border economic development.
Discussing regional and global issues of shared concern, the two sides pledged to continue coordinating at multilateral forums to which they are members, speeding up the peaceful settlement of regional and global disputes, and working with each other and with other Mekong River Commission members to ensure the sustainable management and use of water resources in the Mekong River.
 - VNS

— VNS