Vietnam, Cambodia expect stronger all-around ties

Talks were held between National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and her Cambodian counterpart Samdech Heng Samrin following an official welcome ceremony for the latter in Hanoi on May 28 afternoon.

Both leaders said Vietnam and Cambodia have taken heed to boosting cooperation in economics, trade, and investment with bilateral trade posting a 23.7% rise year-on-year to US$4.7 billion last year and elevating trade turnover to US$5 billion by 2020.

The top Cambodian legislator affirmed his nation’s strong support for the two governments’ efforts to educate younger generations on maintaining and fostering the bilateral fine relations, strengthen people-to-people exchange and cooperation in defence, security, counterterrorism, and information sharing, and to orientate border areas towards the building of a border line of peace and friendship and development.

He thanked the Vietnamese Party, State, and people for supporting Cambodia in all circumstances, especially in helping the country escape from the Pol Pot genocidal regime in the past and spurring national development at present.

President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin (second from left).

In reply, the Vietnamese NA leader told her guest that Vietnam has long regarded Cambodia’s security and defence as an important factor in Vietnam’s own security and defence.

She asked Cambodia to offer the best possible conditions for the search for and repatriation of remains of volunteer Vietnamese soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Cambodia, as well as the construction, restoration, and repair of Vietnam-Cambodia friendship monuments in the country.

Host and guest noted with pleasure the achievements recorded by both nations in border demarcation and border marker planting as 84% of the work has been finalized.

For borderline sections that have yet to be demarcated, Ngan suggested continued discussions to seek out mutually fair and suitable measures acceptable to both sides.

She hailed Cambodia’s close coordination in granting legal documents to Vietnamese Cambodians, and asked its relevant agencies and localities to soon issue specific and clear regulations on the rights and obligations of those holding foreign registration cards.

Concerning the resettlement of Vietnamese people in the Tonle Sap Lake, Ngan proposed that Cambodia pay attention to ensuring the lives, interests, and assets of relocated people. She affirmed that Vietnam will work hand in hand with Cambodia to help them soon stabilize their lives.

Vietnam desires to beef up continued cooperation with Cambodia in managing and using the Mekong River water source sustainably, exploiting hydropower potential on the Mekong River in an appropriate and effective manner, and ensuring water source and environmental safety and security.

For regional cooperation, Ngan suggested maintaining closer coordination in augmenting cooperation initiatives for their interests and those of the entire region.

She expressed her hope to receive Cambodia’s support and coordination to help Vietnam fulfill its role as ASEAN Chair and ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Chair in 2020, and maintain the ASEAN’s intra-bloc solidarity and central role.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (second from right) at the talks.

The Vietnamese NA chief assured Vietnam’s willingness to help Cambodia host the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) Meeting next year.

Regarding parliamentary cooperation, Ngan asked the two law-making bodies facilitate the organisation of meetings of young parliamentarians and female parliamentarians this year.

The two leaders concurred to continue offering mutual support in hosting international parliamentary meetings such as the AIPA, ASEP, Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), and Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU).

Heng Samrin also used the occasion to invite his Vietnamese counterpart to pay an official visit to Cambodia at an appropriate time. His invitation was accepted with pleasure and the visit will be arranged through the diplomatic channel.

After the talks, the duo signed a cooperation agreement between the two legislative bodies and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Vietnamese NA Office and the Cambodian NA Secretariat.

The same day, Ngan hosted a banquet in honour of Heng Samrin and his delegation.