In an exclusive interview given to the People’s Army Newspaper Online ahead of the first-ever Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border defense friendship exchange slated for mid-December this year, the Cambodian official laid stress on the close and traditional relationship between the two neighbors, Vietnam and Cambodia.
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Colonel Rem Kann (left) in an interview with the People’s Army Newspaper Online’s reporter |
According to him, the two countries’ relations have been built and cultivated by generations of leaders and people of the two countries and become an invaluable asset of the two nations.
Since the two countries established their diplomatic ties, despite difficulties, challenges and upheavals, the Vietnam - Cambodia ties have constantly been consolidated, developed, making practical contribution to the construction and prosperous development of the two countries and actively contributing to regional and international peace, stability, and cooperation.
In the overall of the two countries’ relationship, the bilateral defense cooperation has developed in an intensive, effective and substantive fashion and become one of the important pillars.
The Cambodian military attaché highlighted the two sides’ agencies and units’ good embracement of the two defense ministries’ directions and their pro-active coordination to carry out agreed defense cooperation contents such as delegation exchanges, particularly high-level ones, and deputy-minister-level defense policy dialogues. In addition, the two sides have effectively promoted cooperation mechanisms, including sharing of information, joint patrol, annual meeting, troops-people ties, exchange of young officers, personnel training, and health check-up.
According to the Cambodian official, the two countries’ border protection forces and military regions garrisoned near the shared borderline have well collaborated to fight traditional and non-traditional crimes, ensuring security, social order and safety in border areas. Notably, due attention has been paid to the education and dissemination work to raise awareness of the two countries’ people and troops, especially young ones, of the history, significance and importance of the two countries and militaries’ solidarity, and mutual support in different periods.
He also emphasized meaningful activities in the Vietnam - Cambodian Friendship Year 2022, celebrations of the 55th anniversary of Vietnam - Cambodia diplomatic ties in 2022, the 45th anniversary of the journey to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime in 2022, contributing to spreading the solidarity between the two militaries and peoples. He added that the two militaries have coordinated and supported each other at multilateral forums and mechanisms, particularly ASEAN-led mechanisms.
Regarding the time-honored friendship and close-knit solidarity among Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, Col. Rem Kann said that they have been developing and become a priceless common asset, creating spiritual and material strengths for the three countries to stand side-by-side in the past struggles for national independence and today’s national construction, protection and development, especially in the context that the region and the world are facing both traditional and non-traditional challenges.
“We always believe that today and future generations will continue to foster and promote such a fine tradition,” he said.
Talking about the first Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border defense friendship exchange, Col. Rem Kann said that significant activities held in the framework of the event will lift cooperation among the three militaries to a new height, helping boost political trust, build friendship and solidarity, and enhance practical cooperation among the three border protection forces, hosting authorities and border people. This will contribute to building a Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia borderline of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation, and development.
The Cambodian official said that the exchange sends a message of solidarity, friendship, and mutual support among the three governments, militaries, and peoples to people of the three countries, regional countries, and ASEAN members, making contribution to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Translated by Mai Huong