Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong separately met with top leaders of Cambodia in Phnom Penh on Dec. 6, during his current three-day visit to Cambodia.

They were Chea Sim, President of the Cambodian People’s Party and President of the Senate; Hun Sen, Vice President of the Cambodian People’s Party and Prime Minister; and Nguon Nhel, Acting President of the National Assembly.

General Secretary Trong once again affirmed Vietnam ’s consistent external policy of attaching importance to maintaining and unceasingly strengthening the Vietnam-Cambodia solidarity, traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation, describing it as the valuable treasure of both nations and a factor to ensure the victory of each country’s national construction and defence.

Vietnam will support and help Cambodia fulfil its mission as ASEAN Chair 2012 and work with regional countries to find effective solutions to ensure peace and security in the region, he said.

The leaders of the Senate, the National Assembly and the Government of Cambodia highly valued the importance and significance of the first visit to Cambodia by Nguyen Phu Trong in his capacity as Party General Secretary.

They expressed their pleasure with results of the talks between King Norodom Sihamoni and General Secretary Trong and the two countries’ issuance of a joint statement which affirms principles and orientations steering bilateral relations in the future.

The Cambodian leaders expressed their deep gratitude to the Party, State, army and people of Vietnam for their great, wholehearted and effective support and assistance to Cambodia , especially helping the Cambodian people escape from the genocidal regime. They said the services of the Vietnamese were recognised in Cambodia ’s history.

They affirmed their resolve, together with Vietnam , to do their utmost to tighten the solidarity, traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation, creating an environment of peace, stability and sustainable development for both countries.

The General Secretary and his hosts informed each other about their respective country’s socio-economic development and shared views on international and regional issues of common concern.

Both sides discussed a number of ways to boost comprehensive cooperation in all fields between the two countries. They included increase of high-level meetings and contacts, dissemination, education and friendship exchanges among all walks of people, especially youths, and naming 2012 as “Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year” to mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

The two sides agreed to continue implementing cooperative agreements on defence and security, coordinating to prevent any political or military force to use territory of one country to fight against the other country, working in fighting transnational crimes, illegal immigration, cooperating in border defence and security, maintaining a joint sea patrol mechanism, and coordinating in searching, unearthing and repatriating remains of Vietnamese soldiers who died in Cambodia.

They also agreed to improve the quality and efficiency of investment and accelerate two-way trade, targeting 5 billion USD by 2015.

They were unanimous on increasing the exchange of information and coordination at international and regional organisations and multilateral forums, contributing to maintaining an environment of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The two sides will continue to efficiently implement bilateral treaties, agreements and pacts on borders.

General Secretary Trong invited Senate President Chea Sim, Acting National Assembly President Nguon Nhel, Prime Minister Hun Sen to visit Vietnam . The Cambodian leaders accepted the invitation with pleasure.

Also the same day, General Secretary Trong received a delegation of the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association led by Men Sam An, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairwoman of the association and head of the Cambodia-Vietnam friendship parliamentarians’ group.

Later the same day, King Norodom Sihamoni hosted a banquet in honour of General Secretary Trong and his entourage./.