Vietnam, Cambodia forge cooperation in search for soldier remains

HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam and Cambodia have agreed to intensify their cooperation in searching and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Cambodia during wartime.

The consensus was reached at the 17th meeting of the Special Working Committees of the Vietnamese and Cambodian Governments in Ho Chi Minh City on October 18.

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Le Chiem, Deputy Minister of National Defence and Chairman of the Vietnamese Government’s Special Working Committee, and Seang Lapress, Advisor to the Cambodian Government and Vice Chairman of the Cambodian Government’s Special Working Committee, co-chaired the event.

Chiem spoke highly of the Cambodian committee’s coordination with the Vietnamese side in the search and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese martyrs who had fallen down in the neighbouring country.

Despite global uncertainties, the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia has been consolidated and developed in the spirit of “fine neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability,” he said.

The officer said during the 2017-2018 dry season, competent agencies of the two countries have teamed up to search for the remains of 690 martyrs.

In his remarks, Seang Lapress expressed his belief that the two sides will continue with their coordination to meet the set plan for the work, contributing to building and consolidating the bilateral friendship.

At the meeting, the committees also consented to step up communications work and encourage residents of the two countries to provide information on martyrs and their graves.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese Special Working Committee handed over funding to the Cambodian Special Working Committee to support its search and repatriation of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts during the 2018-2019 period.–VNA