An Giang (VNA) – The Border GuardHigh Command of Vietnam and the Ministry of National Defence of Cambodia held ameeting on August 27 to discuss border management and defence.

The event, held in Chau Doc city of Vietnam’ssouthern province of An Giang, was part of the two countries’ border friendshipexchange programme.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Lt. Gen.Hoang Xuan Chien, member of the Party Central Committee, member of the CentralMilitary Commission and Commander of the Vietnam Border Guard High Command.

Participating Cambodian officials included Gen.Hun Manet, Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army; Gen. Sao Sokha, Commander ofthe Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia; and Gen. Siek Socheat, head of the borderaffairs office of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

At the meeting, the two sides said thecountries’ border defence forces need to continue creating favourableconditions for border demarcation and border marker planting to be completed asscheduled. They also need to protect the achievements attained so far to servethe signing of a border agreement, helping build a Vietnam-Cambodia border ofpeace, stability, friendship and cooperation.

The two sides’ forces will work together to tackleincidents occurring along the shared border in accordance with the agreement onborder regulations and other deals between the two governments, and in a spiritof friendship, cooperation and not allowing hostile forces to sabotagebilateral ties.

They will also coordinate to maintain politicalsecurity and social order and safety while investigating and preventing crimes,particularly cross-border organised crimes and terrorism.

The officials also agreed to coordinate in theprevention of illegal exit from and entry into each country, fight againstnon-traditional crimes, search and rescue in disasters, and prevention ofillegal deforestation and exploitation of agricultural and forest products inborder areas.

Additionally, border defence forces of Vietnamand Cambodia will join hands to facilitate border residents’ travel to receivemedical examination and treatment, visit relatives and exchange goods. 

They will give counselling about friendshippromotion in border areas to local authorities; step up communications to boostlocals’ adherence to the agreement on border management regulations and eachcountry’s law; and encourage border residents to engage in preventing illegalexit and entry, fighting smuggling and reinforcing solidarity.

Both sides agreed to take part in borderfriendship programmes at all levels to strengthen friendship, mutualunderstanding and cooperation between their authorities and relevant forces.

Also on August 27, Vietnamese Deputy DefenceMinister Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh received the delegation of the CambodianMinistry of National Defence.

Vietnam and Cambodia share 1,137km of landborder that runs across 10 Vietnamese and nine Cambodian provinces.-VNA