High-level military delegation wraps up visit to Cambodia

Phnom Penh (VNA) – A Vietnamese high-level military delegation, led by Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and Deputy Minister of National Defence, on November 2 concluded their four-day official visit to Cambodia.

The visit, made at the invitation of General Vong Pisen, Commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), aimed to review cooperation between the VPA General Staff and the RCAF High Command over the past time, and discuss measures to boost their collaboration in the time ahead.

During the stay, Giang paid a courtesy visit to Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on October 30, during which the Vietnamese officer informed the latter of the cooperation results between the two armies in the past time, including the implementation of a decree on regular rescue in border areas, collaboration between the two countries’ border guard forces on land and at sea, human resources training, and the search and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts in Cambodia.

The Cambodian PM, for his part, laid stress on the significance of the Vietnamese delegation’s visit, saying it would help accelerate the implementation of high-level pacts inked between leaders of the countries, thus contributing to consolidating the bilateral relations.

He highlighted defence collaboration as an important pillar in the Vietnam-Cambodia “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability”.

In his talks with Vong Pisen on October 31, Giang hoped that both sides would further their efforts to accelerate border demarcation and marker planting work, create favourable conditions for Vietnamese nationals in Cambodia , and protect relic sites in Cambodia that feature the friendship between the two countries and militaries.

Vong Pisen expressed his profound gratitude towards the Vietnamese Party, State, people and army for helping Cambodia escape from the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime. He also thanked Vietnam for providing Cambodia with human resources training, thus strengthening the Cambodian royal armed forces.

The Cambodian Commander-in-Chief affirmed his full support for Vietnam when the country takes up the rotary chair of ASEAN in 2020, and organising the upcoming ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Meeting.

The same day, Giang paid a courtesy visit to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence General Tea Banh.

On November 1, the Vietnamese and Cambodian defence ministries organised a ceremony to present Vietnam’s Friendship Order to units and individuals of the RCAF./.