Vietnam attaches importance to strengthening the ties of fine neighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia, State President Truong Tan Sang has said.
Vietnam attaches importance to strengthening the ties of fine neighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia, State President Truong Tan Sang has said.
Sang made the commitment at a grand meeting in Hanoi on January 5, marking the 35th anniversary of the southwest border defence war victory as well as the shared triumph over the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime (January 7).
In his address, he recalled the January 7, 1979 victory, saying after 1975, both Vietnamese and Cambodian people desired to live in peace to shore up national reconstruction in their countries.
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Vietnamese State President Truong Tan Sang highlighted the significance of the January 7, 1979 victory in history of Vietnam and Cambodia |
But Pol Pot and his henchmen betrayed the Cambodian people and sabotaged traditional friendship and solidarity between the two peoples, carrying out the genocidal policy in Cambodia and encroaching upon Vietnam’s south-western area bordering Cambodia.
In response to Cambodian people’s appeal and with international support, the Party, State, people and army of Vietnam exercised their self-defence rights, driving invaders away and helping Cambodia overthrow the genocidal regime on January 7, 1979.
The victory ushered Cambodia out of one of the darkest periods in history and opened up a new era of independence, freedom, peace, neutralisation, and development in the country, Sang said.
He expressed his deep gratitude to Vietnamese and Cambodian war martyrs who laid down their lives for independence and freedom of each country and for the common destiny, friendship and solidarity between the two peoples, and for peace, stability and development in Southeast Asia and the rest of the world.
The Party, State and people of Vietnam forever remember the great contributions by volunteer Vietnamese experts and soldiers who overcome numerous hardships and even sacrificed themselves in a just struggle to defend Vietnam’s south-western border and topple the genocidal regime in Cambodia, fulfilling the lofty international mission.
He confirmed the pure solidarity and combative spirit between the two peoples will forever go down in history which cannot be distorted by any forces.
Sang congratulated Cambodia on its comprehensive, tremendous achievements over the past 35 years, noting the country has achieved high economic growth for many consecutive years and joined many regional and international organisations.
He expressed his belief under the reign of King Norodom Sihamoni, and the leadership of the Cambodian People’s Party, Senate, National Assembly and Royal Government, Cambodian people will reap greater success in national development and construction.
Visiting Cambodian National Assembly Chairman Heng Samrin expressed Cambodian people’s debt of gratitude to volunteer Vietnamese experts and soldiers for carrying out a lofty international mission, liberating Cambodia from the genocidal regime.
He stressed Cambodia has made drastic changes since the 1979 victory. In addition, Cambodia and Vietnam have spared no effort to build ties of traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation, while strongly supporting each other at international forums.
Cambodia and Vietnam have signed a land border agreement and other economic cooperation agreements, on the basis of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other.
Cambodia considers the traditional friendship and special solidarity between the two countries a valuable asset which should be preserved and developed for future generations, he said.
The ceremony was attended by senior Vietnamese and Cambodia leaders, generals, international friends, representatives of war martyrs, and former volunteer Vietnamese experts and soldiers who joined the international mission in Cambodia.
