Prime Minister Dung holds talks with Cambodian leader Hun Sen
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (left) greets Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen in Phnom Penh. — VNA/VNS Photo Duc Tam |
PHNOM PENH — Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Saturday held talks with his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Sen, in Phnom Penh on issues relating to the two countries' relations and other matters of common concern.
During the talks, the two PMs expressed their delight in the solidarity, friendship and co-operation enjoyed by Viet Nam and Cambodia, which they said would go from strength to strength.
They also applauded preparations made for the second Viet Nam – Cambodia Investment Promotion Conference, which was hosted by the two PMs yesterday.
During the conference, the two sides said they expected to sign a number of co-operative agreements in areas such as aviation, banking, telecommunications, hydropower, mining, rubber and sugarcane production.
The two leaders expressed their belief that the conference would be a success, and contribute to bolstering economic co-operation between the two nations.
Dung and Hun Sen acknowledged the great effort made by the two countries' offcials border demarcation and marker planting, adding that the completion of the programme would bolster borderline peace, friendship and co-operation and boost development and prosperity in the region.
The two Government leaders asked border demarcation and marker planting forces to continue to closely co-operate and do everything in their power to fulfil the targets that had been set by the two countries.
The two PMs agreed to entrust the two countries' Joint Committee for Land Border Demarcation and Marker Planting to designating where to position markers No 30 at the Le Thanh (Gia Lai) – Odadao (Ratanakiri) international border gate, No 275 at the Tinh Bien (An Giang) – Phnom Don (Takeo) international border gate, marker No 314 in Kien Giang and Kampot provinces (the last on the land border line between the two countries). Further posts are earmarked for Chang Riec, Tan Ha, Tan Dong and Tan Binh (Tay Ninh Province of Viet Nam), On Lung Chrey, Thlok Trach, Bung Chron and Phum Don (Kampong Cham Province of Cambodia).
The settlement of these areas would be implemented under the principles specified by the 1985 Treaty on Delineation of National Boundaries and the supplementary treaty in 2005 signed by Viet Nam and Cambodia, they said.
They added that border demarcation would be based on existing maps and on the traditional work habits of the people in both countries.
The PMs said the border demarcation and marker planting work along the entire Viet Nam – Cambodia land border would be completed by the end of 2012.
Meanwhile, on the subject of building hydropower works on the Mekong River, such as the Sayabouly dam, the two leaders said they hoped countries bordering the river, such as Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam, together with the International Mekong River Commission would take into account the possible negative impacts of the work.
Hun Sen discussed with his Vietnamese counterpart the border conflict with Thailand in recent days. Dung expressed his deep concern about continued clashes over the Cambodian – Thai border.
He said Viet Nam hoped the two sides would do their utmost to avoid armed conflict and would settle their differences peacefully according to international law and the UN Charter, and in the spirit of friendship and solidarity within ASEAN.
He added that Viet Nam would like Cambodia and Thailand to implement commitments reached at the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Retreat in Jakarta on February 22, 2011, to prevent the situation from becoming more complicated.
After the talks, the Vietnamese and Cambodian PMs witnessed the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between the two governments on borderline adjustments and a co-operative agreement on aviation.
Lasting impressions
On arrival in the Cambodian capital, Dung paid a courtesy visit to former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk, and met Acting Head of State and President of the Senate Samdech Chea Sim and Acting President of the National Assembly Nguon Nhel.
During the meeting with King Norodom Sihanouk, Dung said the visit to Viet Nam by the former King, the Queen Mother and the King of Cambodia in June 2010 had left a great impression on the Vietnamese people. He also thanked the former King for the great support Cambodia had given Viet Nam during its struggle for national independence and during the later reunification and construction process.
He said he was delighted with the great achievements made by the Cambodian people over the past few years and affirmed Viet Nam's commitment to maintaining and consolidating the good relations enjoyed by the two countries and with the region and rest of the world.
The former Cambodian King warmly welcomed Dung's visit to Cambodia and expressed his deep gratitude to the Vietnamese Government and people for the invaluable support and assistance they had given.
He said he hoped the friendship and co-operation enjoyed by Cambodia and Viet Nam would continue to prosper.
During Dung's meeting with Acting Head of State and President of the Senate Samdech Chea Sim and Acting President of the NA Nguon Nhel, the two sides expressed their satisfaction with the traditional friendship enjoyed by the two countries and co-operation between the two parliaments and people.
The leaders of Cambodia's legislative bodies thanked the Vietnamese people for their support during the process of national revival.
They said they would do their utmost to foster greater ties between Cambodia and Viet Nam.
Investment Promotion
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen yesterday co-chaired the second Viet Nam-Cambodia Investment Promotion Conference.
The one-day event attracted 600 representatives from ministries and agencies and 200 leading enterprises of the two nations.
Dung told the conference he appreciated the outcomes of bilateral co-operation in economics and trade since the first conference was held in HCM City in December, 2009.
Those outcomes would be a foundation for further fostering co-operative relationships and developing the potential of the two sides, he said, and the conference would become a regular information exchange channel for both business communities.
Dung asked Vietnamese companies doing business in Cambodia to comply with the country's laws, manners and customs and pay attention to ensuring employment and social welfare as well as eliminating hunger and reducing poverty to maintain the good image of Vietnamese businesses in the country.
"The Vietnamese Government is determined to boost and facilitate Vietnamese enterprises' investment to foreign countries in general and to Cambodia in particular," Dung said.
For his part, Hun Sen said the conference would contribute to consolidating the two nations' traditional friendship and co-operation.
He said the Cambodian Government was making every effort to create a favourable investment environment and implement reforms in specific fields in which the country had an advantage, such as telecommunications, rubber planting, minerals and hydropower plants.
To encourage Vietnamese investment in Cambodia, Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc suggested State agencies of the two sides speed up the implementation of bilateral agreements such as on investment protection and promotion, double taxation avoidance and rubber planting co-operation.
He urged the prompt completion of the legal system of investment and business, reform of administrative procedures and improvement of infrastructure, especially transport and electricity, which were needed to encourage the participation of economic sectors.
Meanwhile, representatives of the Cambodian Development Council and Cambodian Chamber of Commerce introduced the country's economic development strategy and investment incentives, and commitments of the council, to Vietnamese enterprises operating in Cambodia.
Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group chairman Doan Nguyen Duc said Cambodia was a country full of untapped potential. It was convenient that the two countries had one common border, with many border gates, and had similar cultures, he said.
The private group has had large investments in Cambodia in minerals, rubber and sugar processing,
Ho Chi Dung, general director of Viettel Telecom, which has poured US$235 million in to Cambodia, said two years after the group entered the market, its Metfone subscribers increased by three times.
Over the past year, Viet Nam and Cambodia have signed more than 60 co-operation agreements and formed the necessary co-operation mechanisms.
This contributed greatly to increasing two-way trade from $950 million in 2006 to $1.8 billion in 2010. Viet Nam is now one of the three biggest foreign investors in Cambodia with 87 projects worth over $2 billion, focusing on telecommunications, airlines, agriculture, energy, minerals and banking.
Also at the conference, the two Government leaders witnessed the signing of memorandums of understanding on:
° Promoting investment between the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Cambodian Investment Council,
° Granting an investment licence to the Se San 2 hydropower plant project between Viet Nam's Ministry of Industry and Trade and Cambodia's Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining.
° Licensing other production projects.
On the same day, the two leaders cut the ribbon to open the Viet Nam-Cambodia Securities Company. — VNS
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