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An overview of the meeting |
At the reception, General Giang emphasized that Vietnam and Cambodia are two neighboring countries with fine traditional friendship. He affirmed that Vietnam always treasures and bears in mind the great support of Cambodia to its resistance war in the past and current national protection and defense cause.
The Vietnamese defense minister added that Vietnam wishes to strengthen solidarity, friendship, comprehensive and sustainable cooperation with Cambodia, considering it one of the top priorities in the country’s diplomacy. He said that strengthening and consolidating the bilateral relationship is of strategic significance to the development of each country. Over the past time, leaders of the two countries have affirmed that the two sides attach great importance to upholding and consolidating the traditional friendship between the two governments, peoples, and militaries in any circumstances and want to further strengthen the fine relationship.
At the meeting, General Phan Van Giang highly appreciated the outcomes of the talks between Deputy Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Nghia and General Hun Manet held earlier the same day. During the talks, the two sides acknowledged the practical achievements in cooperation between the border guard, naval, and coast guard forces of the two countries in maintaining security and public order, combating the COVID-19 pandemic, and training human resources.
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General Phan Van Giang (right) presents a souvenir to General Hun Manet. |
The Vietnamese defense minister said that the regional and international situation is developing complicatedly and affecting foreign policies of countries in the world, including Vietnam and Cambodia. Therefore, preserving and constantly consolidating the friendship and solidarity between the two peoples and two militaries is vital to the fates of the two countries.
General Giang asked the two sides to foster cooperation between border guard forces in protecting and developing a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development to create a peaceful environment for national development and security consolidation and popularize the traditional solidarity between the two countries and two militaries.
On the occasion, the Vietnamese defense minister sent best regards and invitation to the international defense exhibition to be hosted by Vietnam in late 2022 to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Tea Banh.
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The two delegations posing for a joint photo |
For his part, General Hun Manet thanked General Phan Van Giang for the warm reception and recalled Vietnam’s support to and co-organization of the celebration of the 45th anniversary of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s journey to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime. He said that this visit was to foster the practical implementation of cooperation guidelines of the two militaries.
He suggested the two sides organize sustainable and long-term cooperation mechanisms like the border defense friendship exchange and stressed that the two sides have much room to strengthen their cooperation. The Cambodian general asked relevant agencies of the two sides to study, ink, and carry out agreements on potential fields in the coming time.
Translated by Tran Hoai