PHNOM PENH – The Việt Nam – Cambodia Joint Committee on Land Border Demarcation and Marker Planting held a meeting in Phnom Penh on August 29-30 to review their cooperation.
The Vietnamese side was led by Deputy Foreign Minister and Head of the National Border Committee Lê Hoài Trung while the Cambodian delegation was headed by Senior Minister and Government advisor for border issues Var Kim Hong.
Việt Nam and Cambodia have fulfilled about 83 percent of the goals they set in the Treaty on the Delimitation of National Boundaries in 1985 and a Supplementary Treaty in 2005.
Both sides discussed how to address shortcomings such as implementing bilateral treaties and agreements on boundary delimitation and territory, and inviting international experts to consult.
They also discussed how to stabilise the lives of residents of the Mekong Delta province of Long An and the Central Highland province of Đắk Lắk, in areas sharing borders with Cambodia.
They agreed to accelerate the construction of auxiliary border markers and complete profiles on border demarcation.
The two sides expressed delight at the quite stable border between the two countries.
Relations among localities and people in border areas continue to be reinforced in the spirit of building “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive, sustainable and long-term cooperation”.
Both nations have maintained regular delegation exchanges while economic collaboration in the border areas has been strengthened.
At the meeting, participants also raised problems in border management work.
The Vietnamese delegation head clarified the country’s policy and standpoint in the field.
While awaiting the completion of the border demarcation, Việt Nam and Cambodia agreed to continue implementing border management in accordance with the 1983 agreement on regulating border management and a joint press communiqué in 1995.
The agreement stresses that the two nations will not change or remove border markers while waiting for the settlement of existing problems in the field. It also highlights the need to raise people’s awareness of cooperation to maintain order and security in border areas.
On the occasion, the Vietnamese delegation head paid a courtesy visit to Prak Sokhonn, Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.—VNS