Mr Dung made his statement in an interview granted to the Khmer-language daily Rasmei Kampuchea (Light of Cambodia), which was carried in its December 20 issue, one day after his official visit to Cambodia.

He noted that Vietnam-Cambodia ties have constantly developed under the motto of "Good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term stability."

Agreements reached during visits by senior leaders of the two countries and at the 8th Meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee (October 2006) have contributed to lifting the bilateral relationship to a new height, he stressed.

Mr Dung revealed that Vietnam and Cambodia have already agreed on many measures to further boost cooperation in education-training, agriculture-forestry-fisheries, industry, energy and transport. The two countries have also shown their determination to raise two-way trade to US$2 billion in 2010 from the estimated value of US$950 million this year.

The Vietnamese Government leader added that cooperative ties between localities of Vietnam and Cambodia, particularly between border provinces and twinned cities, have also been intensified.

PM Dung said he and his Cambodian counterpart held talks in an atmosphere of friendship, reliability and mutual understanding. They informed each other of the situation in our respective country and had discussions on bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern."

Regarding Vietnam's overseas investment, the PM said Vietnamese businesses will invest more neighbouring countries, including Cambodia, in the years to come due to their geographical distances and recent encouraging achievements, especially in economic development.

Vietnam is now working out a plan to encourage local businesses to invest abroad in the context that the country has recently joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Mr Dung emphasised.

On border issues, PM Dung asserted that Vietnam has consistently respected the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, and strived to build borders of peace and long-lasting friendship with neighbouring nations, including Cambodia.

With the signing and approval of the Supplementary Treaty to the 1985 Vietnam-Cambodia Treaty on Border Delimitation, the two countries have basically settled land border issues, thereby maintaining security and taking full advantage of favorable conditions for economic development in border areas with a view to building of a common border of cooperation, friendship and long-term stability.

Vietnam and Cambodia are actively implementing the Supplementary Treaty, and determined to complete their land border demarcation and marker planting before the end of 2008, the PM said.

In 1982, Vietnam and Cambodia signed an Agreement on Historical Common Territorial Waters, PM Dung said, adding that the two countries have recently also agreed to speed up negotiations in order to deal with sea-related issues as soon as possible.

VNA