Vietnam and Cambodia boost defense cooperation
VOV.VN - Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Nghia, deputy commander in chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, held talks with General Mao Sophan, deputy commander in chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in Hanoi on June 6.
Nghia highly appreciated the results of defense cooperation between the two armies in recent times, through the exchange of delegations, cooperation in border management and protection, and human resource training. The two sides regularly and support each other at multilateral forums, especially mechanisms led by ASEAN. They also realise common perceptions of senior leaders and the two countries’ Ministries of Defense on bilateral military and defense cooperation.
He thanked the Government, Ministry of National Defense, and Royal Cambodian Army for effectively coordinating and supporting the search, gathering and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Cambodia during wartime.
On future cooperation, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nghia proposed that the two sides maintain delegation exchanges, increase cooperation in border management and protection and improve training quality. He expected that the two sides would continue consultation and close coordination at multilateral mechanisms led by ASEAN, while making a practical contribution to formulating the 2025-2029 cooperation protocol as well as annual cooperation plans.
Discussing regional and global issues, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nghia emphasized ASEAN’s important role in shaping and maintaining the regional security structure. With regard to maritime issues, he underlined the need to meet commitments, fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and promote the early signing of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) consistent with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
For his part General Mao Sophan, who is also Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, expressed his desire to further deepen the relationship between the two armies.
He affirmed that both Cambodia and Vietnam have treasured a good neighbourly and friendly relationship for decades, and peoples of the two countries have always stood side by side in the struggle for national independence in the past and in the cause of national construction and development at present.
He thanked the Party, Government, Army and people of Vietnam for helping Cambodia escape the genocidal regime of Pol Pot as well as in national reconstruction afterwards.
The Cambodian side creates the most favourable conditions to speed up the search, gathering and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Cambodia during wartime, assured Gen. Sophan.
The same day, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong, commander in chief of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Minister of National Defense, reveived Gen. Mao Sophan.
Cuong affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to and gives top priority to constantly strengthening and developing good neighbourly relations, traditional friendship, comprehensive and long-term sustainable cooperation with Cambodia.
He spoke highly of the results of the talks between the two deputy commanders in chief and proposed that the two side effectively implement agreements reached during the talks.
