Vietnam and Cambodia inked a plan for bilateral cooperation in defence in 2011 in Siem Reap city on Mar. 9.

Visiting Vietnamese Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Tea Banh attended the signing ceremony.

The two sides held talks the same day, reviewing bilateral cooperation in 2010 and working out measures to ensure effective cooperation between the two armies in 2011.

The Vietnamese side highly appreciated results of defence cooperation with Cambodia over the past year, especially protecting border security and fighting drug trafficking.

Minister Thanh stressed on Cambodia ’s active and effective assistance in searching and repatriating remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Cambodia .

He affirmed that the Vietnamese government always wants Cambodia to soon stablise border situation for peace and long-term interests of neighbouring countries.

The Cambodian side agreed with Vietnam on defence cooperation plan in the coming time, particularly on training of human resource.

Minister Tea Banh asked the Vietnamese side to accelerate friendship visits between units of the two armies to share experiences in the field.

The two sides agreed to continue boosting cooperation as stated in the protocol signed between the two ministries in 2009.

During the visit from Mar. 9-11, the Vietnamese defence delegation will visit the Ku Len War Invalids Centre 317 and the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Non-Commissioned Officers’ School under the Cambodian Royal Army’s Military Zone 4./.