At the meeting, on behalf of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, General Cuong welcomed General Hun Manet and the Cambodian military delegation’s visit to Vietnam and congratulated Cambodia on successfully organizing the elections of commune and ward-level councils with almost absolute victory for the Cambodian People’s Party.
The Vietnamese general expressed his delight at the constant development of the bilateral relations in all areas, particularly politics, economy, trade, and people-to-people exchange.
He also highlighted the effective organization of activities in celebration of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022, including Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s State visit to Cambodia and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An’s visit to Vietnam and participation in the ceremony marking the 55th anniversary of the Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic ties.
General Cuong emphasized the successful celebration of the 45th anniversary of Cambodian PM Hun Sen’s “Journey to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime” in Vietnam and its significance to popularize the two countries’ special relationship, mutual support over different historical periods among young generations of the two neighbors.
Speaking highly of the outcomes of the talks between Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Nghia, Deputy Chief of the VPA’s General Staff, and General Hun Manet held earlier the same day, General Cuong acknowledged the active and effective coordination between the two militaries in carrying out cooperation plan in 2022 and contents agreed by the Chief of the VPA’s General Staff and the Commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in March 2022. They included all-level delegation exchange, cooperation between the two border protection forces, twinning activities, settlement of grassroots-level emerging issues, close cooperation in defense and military meetings in Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2022.
Congratulating the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces on successfully organizing military and defense meetings in the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2022, the Vietnamese general confirmed that Vietnam always supports Cambodia to successfully assume the role of ASEAN Chair in 2022.
Regarding future cooperation, General Cuong suggested the two sides continue to effectively implement remaining cooperation contents for this year, focusing on exchanging information, upholding order and security in border areas, enhancing collaboration between the two militaries in response to non-traditional security challenges and in search and rescue and counter-terrorism drills.
The Vietnamese general also suggested the two sides attach importance to personnel training, education of the solidarity and friendship between the two countries, peoples, and militaries for young officers and military youths, organization of more “return-to-the-roots” programs, exchange, and twinning activities between the two militaries, and continue to support each other in international and regional forums, especially in ASEAN.
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Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong (right) presents a souvenir to General Hun Manet. |
For his part, General Hun Manet thanked Vietnam for its support and joint organization of the celebration of the 45 years of Hun Sen’s “Journey to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime,” contributing to raising awareness of the two peoples and fighting against hostile forces’ distorted allegations and schemes.
The Cambodian general emphasized that Vietnam and Cambodia are neighbors standing side by side in development. The two militaries have effectively ensured security in border areas, helped people living in both sides of the borderline develop socio-economy.
He believed that the fruitful relations between the two militaries will be consolidated and tightened, contributing to the two countries’ comprehensive cooperative partnership. He suggested Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia further cooperate in responding to non-traditional security challenges.
On the occasion, via General Hun Menet, General Cuong sent regards to General Vong Pisen, Commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and invited him to attend the International Vietnam Defense Expo scheduled to take place in Vietnam late this year.
Earlier, Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Nghia, Deputy Chief of the VPA’s General Staff, hosted a welcome ceremony and held talks with General Hun Manet.
During the talks, General Nghia expressed his delight at the guest’s visit, especially in the context that the two countries are holding various practical activities in celebration of the 55th anniversary of the Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967 - 2022), and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022. He also congratulated the Cambodian People’s Party on its almost absolute win at the commune and ward-level council elections in June this year.
General Nghia believed that General Hun Manet’s visit will help create new impetus for the two militaries’ cooperation, thus enhancing the good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive, sustainable and long-term cooperation between the two countries. He praised the two militaries for well performing their key role in the fight against the pandemic, and coordinating to achieve military and defense duties in the annual cooperation plan.
They also highlighted the successful organization of the 45th anniversary of PM Hun Sen’s “Journey to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime” and the first Vietnam-Cambodia border defense friendship exchange, as well as exchanges of delegations, especially high-level ones, timely support in accordance with each side’s needs and capacity, and border guard forces’ joint patrols, twinning activities, thus promoting friendship between the two militaries and peoples.
In the future, the two side agreed to improve the efficiency of the cooperation in cross-border crime prevention, maintain exchange and information sharing mechanisms, jointly respond to natural disasters and diseases and other non-traditional security challenges, and fight against illegal immigration, as well as ensure security and safety in the shared border areas.
They also stressed the importance of personnel training, considering it a long-term strategic important field and reached agreement on enhancing cooperation to promote education about the two countries and militaries’ friendship, organize more exchanges to promote the two countries’ ties.
Regarding the multilateral cooperation, General Nghia congratulated the Cambodian Defense Ministry and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces on hosting military-defense meetings. He confirmed that Vietnam supports and closely cooperates with Cambodia to successfully organize these meetings in the Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2022.
On the occasion, Gen. Nghia invited General Hun Manet to attend the ASEAN Chiefs of Army Multilateral Meeting, the ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet and the International Vietnam Defense Expo with Vietnam as the host country.
Translated by Mai Huong