On this day 45 years ago, after crossing the Cambodia - Vietnam border and arriving in Binh Phuoc, Hun Sen, who was then a lieutenant colonel and a regiment commander of Region 21 in eastern Cambodia, and his comrades decided to seek help from Vietnam to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime to regain peace for his homeland.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and Cambodian PM Hun Sen (R) |
Thanks to the Vietnamese Party, State, and people’s assistance, they took gradual steps to set up the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation and, together with Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, completely defeated the genocidal regime on January 7, 1979, saving millions of Cambodians from the genocidal disaster.
Speaking at the ceremony, PM Chinh said that the event is more significant in the context that the two countries are celebrating the 55th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties (June 24), and Cambodia successfully organizing the commune/ward council elections for the fifth tenure on June 5.
Condemning the genocide caused to the Cambodian people as well as the brutal aggression crimes committed by the Pol Pot gang against the Vietnamese people, Chinh affirmed that Vietnam shared difficulties with and wholeheartedly helped Cambodia build up forces for its revolution; and supported and coordinated with the Cambodian uprising forces to fight the reactionary Pol Pot group.
He said that the celebration not only reminded of the start of the struggle for justice, but also was a vivid manifestation of the friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Cambodia.
The Vietnamese leader also took the occasion to thank Cambodia for its valuable support for Vietnam’s past struggle for national liberation and present national building and safeguarding cause.
PM Hun Sen, for his part, stressed that the history proved that without the journey to overthrow the Pol Pot regime starting on June 20 and the subsequent events, Cambodia could not have had what it is having today.
He once again affirmed the soundness of Vietnam’s act, as Vietnamese volunteer soldiers joined hands with the Cambodian people in their struggle for national liberation, thus helping them get rid of the genocidal regime.
The two PMs expressed their delight at the fine development of the tradition friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, which has brought about substantive benefits for the two peoples and contributed to peace, stability and development in the region and the world over.
He affirmed the importance attached to the good neighborliness, time-honored friendship and all-round cooperation between the two countries.
On this occasion, the two leaders visited several works in Techo Koh Thmar X16 historic site in Memot district, and cut a ribbon to inaugurate the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship House there.
Earlier in the morning, PM Chinh welcomed his Cambodian counterpart in Binh Phuoc province.
Source: VNA