Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong left Phnom Penh on December 7, to visit Siem Reap, a northwestern province of Cambodia.

At a meeting with the province’s Governor, Sou Phirin, the Vietnamese Party leader said he is pleased with the fine relations between Siem Reap province and many Vietnamese localities, including Ho Chi Minh City .

He thanked the Siem Reap authorities and people for their close coordination and assistance in searching and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese soldiers who died in Cambodia as well as in creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese people living in the country.

2012 is defined as the “Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year” so the two sides should strengthen education on the traditional relationship among all the people, especially younger generations, he said.

General Secretary Trong expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Cambodian People’s Party and with their heroism, dynamism and creativity, the Siem Reap people will make the province more prosperous, deserving to be a major economic and cultural centre of Cambodia .

On the occasion, the Vietnamese Party leader presented 50,000 USD as relief for the Siep Reap people to overcome the consequences of recent floods.

Siem Reap Governor Sou Phirin thanked Vietnam for helping Cambodia escape from genocide.

He said that the two sides have signed a number of agreements to build a friendly and peaceful borderline, helping strengthen cooperation and development between the two countries.

The Governor expressed his wish that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Cambodian People’s Party, the two sides will make efforts to boost the development of the Cambodia-Vietnam relationship.

On the same day, as part of the visit to Cambodia by General Secretary Trong and Vietnam ’s high-level officials, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Home Affairs Sar Kheng.

The two sides affirmed their intention to strengthen cooperation in security and defence, information exchange, and training and fighting cross-border crimes such as trafficking of women and children, drug smuggling and gambling.

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong./.