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At the meeting between Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong (left) and Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath |
The bilateral meetings took place on the occasion of Gen. Cuong’s visit to Laos to attend the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (ADMM-Retreat) from March 4 to 6.
During the meeting with Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath, Gen. Cuong affirmed that the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense (MND) always supports and stands ready to assist the Lao side in successfully organizing military-defense events when the country is assuming the position of ASEAN Chair in 2024.
For his part, General Chansamone welcomed the Vietnamese MND’s high-level delegation to attend the ADMM-Retreat, expressing his belief that their attendance will contribute to the meeting’s success.
The two sides also evaluated the outcomes of the bilateral cooperation over the past time and discussed orientations for cooperation in the coming time, focusing on party and political work, border management and protection, human resources training, and defense industry. The Lao official expected that the Vietnamese MND would support the Experts’ Working Group on Humanitarian Mine Action of the ADMM Plus (ADMM+) for 2024-2027 co-chaired by Laos and Russia.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong and Gen.Tea Seiha |
During the conversation with Gen. Tea Seiha, the Vietnamese Chief of General Staff expressed his delight at the fruitful Vietnam-Cambodia defense cooperation in 2023. Notably, the two sides closely and effectively collaborated in such fields as high-level delegation exchanges, human resources training, and exchange of young officers. The obtained results contributed to strengthening the cooperation between the two militaries and countries.
They agreed that the two militaries should continue their traditional cooperation and solidarity, upholding the bilateral defense cooperation as a pillar in the Vietnam-Cambodia good neighborliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability.
Both sides agreed to continue to direct agencies and units of the two defense ministries to foster cooperation in actualizing such important contents as delegation exchanges, education of tradition of the bilateral relations, exchange of young officers, and collaboration in training. The two leaders suggested the two sides review the implementation of the protocol on defense cooperation between the two ministries during the 2020-2024 period and map out another one for the 2025-2029 period.
Gen. Cuong took this occasion to invite leaders from the Cambodian defense ministry and enterprises to attend the 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 2nd Vietnam International Defense Expo slated for December.
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Gen. Cuong visits the Vietnam Consulate General in Luang Prabang. |
Later the same day, Gen. Cuong visited the Vietnam Consulate General in Luang Prabang, during which he expressed strong belief that the agency’s staff would overcome difficulties, stay united, and accomplish all missions assigned by the Party and State to contribute to strengthening the special Vietnam-Laos relations.
Translated by Tran Hoai