Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan had a meeting in Hanoi on August 15 with President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin who is in Vietnam for the national mourning of former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu. 

On behalf of the Party, State, NA and the people of Vietnam, Chairwoman Ngan thanked King Norodom Sihamoni, President of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and Prime Minister Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian National Assembly Heng Samrin and President of the Cambodian Senate Say Chhum for their condolences to Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong, other Vietnamese leaders and the family of former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu. 

She said the Vietnamese Party, State, NA and people will join efforts with the Cambodian People’s Party, State, National Assembly and people of Cambodia to nurture, foster and deepen the good neighbours, traditional friendship, comprehensive, sustainable and long-term cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia across fields, benefiting people of the two nations, and peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

For his part, Heng Samrin expressed his deep condolences over the death of Vietnamese former leader, stressing that former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu was a very good friend of Cambodia, who had directly involved in the building and development of Cambodia after the country escaped from the genocidal regime, and regularly promoted the strengthening of bilateral relations.

Heng Samrin affirmed that he will work to further promote the Cambodia-Vietnam relations, for the benefit of the two peoples, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. 

He spoke highly of Vietnam’s attainments under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), and expressed his belief that the Vietnamese people will obtain greater achievements in its national building and safeguarding.

He highly appreciated cooperation and close coordination between the two countries in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Heng Samrin also congratulated Vietnam on its successful organisation of the 36th ASEAN Summit, highlighting the importance of the event in the context that regional countries are facing difficulties in responding to the COVID-19 crisis. 

He expressed his belief that Vietnam will also successfully organise the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), and affirmed that the National Assembly of Cambodia is ready to support and cooperate with the Vietnamese National Assembly to contribute to the success of the event.

He took this occasion to thank the Party, State and people of Vietnam for their help and support for the Cambodian People’s Party, the State and people of Cambodia during their national liberation and their getting rid of genocide as well as the present national building and development.

NA Chairwoman Ngan praised Cambodia's efforts in the fight against COVID-19. She suggested the two countries continue to work closely and inform each other about policies and measures to prevent and control the pandemic.

Border localities of the two countries need to strengthen coordination in medical quarantine so as to both contain the spread of the disease and maintain border trade between the two countries, she said.

Applauding the two NAs’ ratification of the 2019 Supplementary Treaty and the Protocol on the Demarcation and Marker Planting of Land Boundary, and the signing of legal documents that acknowledging the progress in land border demarcation and marker planting between the two countries achieved 84 percent so far, Ngan said that these are very important basis for the two sides to build a border of peace, friendship and sustainable cooperation.

She proposed the two countries’ NAs continue working closely to support their governments to quickly complete the next relevant work.

NA Chairwoman Ngan thanked Cambodia for its contributions to Vietnam’s ASEAN Year 2020, and the 36th ASEAN Summit’s success, expressing her hope that Cambodia will continue to support ASEAN’s common perception, and closely coordinate with Vietnam to help the country fulfil its role as the ASEAN Chair 2020, the President of AIPA 41 in 2020, and the non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 term.

She affirmed Vietnam pledges to support and coordinate closely with Cambodia to successfully organise the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 13) next year./.