Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on June 24 started an official visit to Vietnam from June 24-26 at the invitation of State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

This is the second Vietnam visit by King Norodom Sihamoni since he was crowned in October 2004. 

The visit taking place at the time when the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia is developing positively affirms the determination of the leaders and people in the two countries to further strengthen their traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation for mutual benefits.

Welcoming King Norodom Sihamoni, the Vietnamese people would like to congratulate the Cambodian people in their achievements in national construction and development.

The visit is made on coincidence with the celebration of the 41st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, June 24, 1967 - June 24, 2008.

Thanks to the special attention paid by leaders and people in the two countries, the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia has constantly developed in all fields under the motto “good neighbour, traditional friendship, comprehensive co-operation and long lasting stability.”

The exchange of high-level delegations between the two countries has contributed to promoting bilateral comprehensive co-operation in a more efficient and reliable manner.

Co-operation in the fields of economics, trade and investment has also seen positive changes. In 2007, two-way trade value was estimated at nearly US $1.2 billion and both sides are striving to reach the target of US $2.3 billion by 2010. Vietnam's investment capital in Cambodia stood at around US $100 million last year.

Ministries, sectors and localities from the two countries have increased their co-operation. The two countries have made continuous efforts to maintain security and stability in border areas and have agreed to complete land border demarcation and landmark planting by 2012.

Vietnam and Cambodia has established a Joint Committee on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Co-operation to review the annual implementation of co-operation agreements in the fields of economics, politics, trade, military and security and to work out plans for the next period.

The two countries have also paid attention to promoting co-operation in healthcare, education-training, energy and transport areas.

Co-operation among localities, especially border provinces and twinned cities, has contributed to boosting the traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries.

The two countries have also worked closely in the sub-regional framework and in multilateral co-operation such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Mekong River Commission (MRC), the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), the West-East Corridor (WEC), the Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Co-operation Strategy (ACMECS) and Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam development triangle.

The Vietnamese people take this opportunity to express deep thanks to the Cambodian Royal Family, Government and people for their valuable assistance and support in the past as well as at present.

It is believed that the Cambodian people, under the leadership of King Norodom Sihamoni and the Royal Government, will record greater achievements in national development and play a more important role in the international arena in the future.

May the Vietnam visit by King Norodom be crowned with success, thus contributing to further developing the Vietnamese-Cambodian time-honoured traditional friendship, good neighbourliness and all-round co-operation between the two countries for happiness and prosperity in both countries as well as in the Southeast Asia region and the world at large.

NHAN DAN