ĐÀ NẴNG — The defence ministries of Việt Nam, Laos and Cambodia will step up military co-operation via programmes to be implemented this year.

The agreements, boosting long-standing ties of friendship between the three countries, mark ongoing visits (January 8-11) by Lao and Cambodian defence ministers to the central city of Đà Nẵng.

In separate talks, Vietnamese defence minister General Ngô Xuân Lịch and his counterparts – Lao Minister of National Defence, General Senior Lieutenant Chansamone Chanyalath and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Tea Banh – reviewed 2016 and discussed measures to boost defence co-operation in 2017.

Yesterday morning, Lịch expressed high appreciation of efforts made by defence ministries of Việt Nam and Laos in 2016, especially in education and communications, and highlighted the special friendship among the soldiers of both countries.

The two sides also agreed that this year will be a crucial milestone in bilateral relationship when Việt Nam and Laos mark the 55^th anniversary of diplomatic ties and 40 years of the Việt Nam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation.

The two ministers agreed to boost exchanges on defence policy at the deputy ministerial level and to step up military education and training, intelligence sharing, exchanges between young officers and friendship border meetings.

They also agreed to strengthen joint actions in drug trafficking, smuggling and illegal transport of timber, and bolster border security.

The Lao defence delegation later visited the Đà Nẵng People’s Committee.

VN-Cambodia milestone

In talks held later yesterday, Lịch noted that this year will mark the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Việt Nam and Cambodia.

He thanked the Cambodian Government and Defence Ministry for supporting Việt Nam in its search for and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who’d sacrificed their lives in Cambodia.

General Tea Banh expressed his gratitude for the strong support that the Vietnamese Army and people have given to the Cambodian people in liberating the country from the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in the past, as well as the assistance provided at present.

He said the Cambodian Army and people will always appreciate their longstanding friendship an d neighbourliness with the Vietnamese Army and people. Cambodia will do its best to boost the ties of friendship, he added.

The two ministers agreed to continue implementing bilateral co-operation plans, focusing on defence delegation exchanges, joint-patrols in the sea as well as the search for and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in wars. They would also step up efforts to ensure security, stability and peace in border areas, the ministers said.

The Cambodian defence delegation is also set to visit Vũng Tàu and HCM City in the coming days. — VNS