In a recent speech delivered to thousands of US war veterans in Kansas city, President Bush expressed his belief that Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki is an influential figure capable of leading war-ravaged Iraq. But on the previous day, Mr Bush expressed dissatisfaction with PM Maliki’s Government, which, he said, if it failed to obtain positive results from reconciliation and violence reduction, he would be removed from office. Mr Bush’s flip-flop on Mr Maliki’s ability showed that the US administration is hedging its bets on the Iraqi issue. In fact, Mr Bush is suffering great pressure from the US Congress and members of the Republican Party over the current deadlock in Iraq. Less than three weeks from now on September 15, the Bush administration will have to submit to Congress a report on US efforts in restoring security and stability in Iraq. If the matter progresses well, Mr Bush hopes to receive congressional support for maintaining US troops in Iraq. But how can … [Read more...]

At the Veterans of Foreign Wars Convention in Kansas City, Missouri State, on August 22, President George W. Bush compared the Iraq war to the Vietnam war, saying the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq would lead to similar consequences. Politicians, historians and Vietnam War veterans in the US and other countries have not agreed with President Bush’s views which they described as incorrect assessments of history. In his speech, Mr Bush said the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq would be a mistake as compared to what happened in Vietnam more than three decades ago. He said the price of US withdrawal from Vietnam was paid by millions of innocent people, leading to such tragedies as “killing fields” under the Pol Pot genocidal regime in Cambodia, and “boat people” and “re-education camps” in Vietnam. He even said that the withdrawal would tarnish the US image and enable terrorist forces to stimulate anti-US activity around the globe. Not long … [Read more...]

Sam Rainsy, the runner-up of the recent Cambodian parliamentary election, stated in an interview with several international media agencies that Hanoi transgressed Cambodia’s territory. His statement is groundless because Vietnam and Cambodia have a time-honoured friendship and good neighbourly relationship, which has been nurtured and consolidated by generations of Vietnamese and Cambodians. The past struggle for national independence and freedom has bound the two countries in their common effort for peace, stability, cooperation and development. The Vietnamese people have stood shoulder to shoulder with Cambodians in various periods of historical upheavals, especially helping them get rid of the Pol Pot Khmer Rouge genocidal regime and develop their economy. The Vietnamese Party and State attach great importance to developing and consolidating the friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia. Bilateral cooperative ties have developed steadily in all areas over recent … [Read more...]

Theng Phon, one of 10 witnesses, was called to the court to give testimony concerning the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge against Vietnamese people living under its reign. At the testimony session, Theng Phon said the Khmer Rouge raged through each family having a Vietnamese husband or wife, with the intent to arrest and kill. According to the witness, if the father was Vietnamese and the mother was Khmer - then the Khmer Rouge just arrested the father and released the mother and the children. However, if vice versa, the Khmer Rouge would arrest the mother and kill the child. That the possible reason for this was, that the Khmer Rouge supposed a Vietnamese-born child carried the blood of Vietnam . A spokesperson said the ECCC has continued to question other witnesses on January 8, to have more information about the cruelty of the Khmer Rouge to the Cham community. In 2015, the ECCC has investigated and accused five former Khmer Rouge officials of crimes against humanity, … [Read more...]

At a meeting with Soc Trang’s provincial Party Committee, People’s Committee and People’s Council, General Dieng Sarun, expressed his delight at the improvement in the local people’s living conditions. The General, who is also Prime Minister Hun Sen’s adviser, thanked the Vietnam People’s Army and Soc Trang province for helping Cambodia defeat the Khmer Rouge Regime. On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, he offered his best wishes to the Soc Trang authorities and people. The secretary of the Soc Trang provincial Party Committee, Vo Minh Chien, expressed his hope that the solidarity and friendship between the two countries would further develop, and conveyed Tet wishes to the General and the other delegates. During the meeting, the two sides shared their experiences in promoting information and education and maintaining public order in ethnic adjacent areas. … [Read more...]

The display areas are divided into four sections, with the first featuring the establishment of the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia alliance to liberate their peoples against French colonialists and US imperialists. The second section illustrates Vietnam’s comprehensive cooperation with Laos and its great support to Cambodia to defeat the Khmer Rouge and rebuild their country. The third examines the strengthened ties between these allies, while the last focuses on direct provincial cooperation with Laos and Cambodia. Visitors to the exhibition will have a good overview of the three countries’ friendships over the past 45 years, as well as their humanitarian and cultural values that have been developed between their respective parties, states and peoples. … [Read more...]

This was stated by Standing Deputy Prime Minister of the Cambodian Royal Government Men Sam An at her meeting on June 19 with Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Cung, who is paying a working visit to Cambodia. Seeking and repatriating the remains is a noble duty pay back the debt of gratitude to the Vietnamese soldiers, who sacrificed themselves to save Cambodian people from the Khmer-Rouge genocide, the Cambodian official stressed. On the occasion, she expressed gratitude and condolences to the soldiers’ families. Cung, who is head of the Vietnamese government’s Special Mission, thanked the Cambodian government and people for their support and assistance in the work. He said Vietnam wishes to continue receiving the support from the Cambodian government and people in the coming time. The same day, Cung and his entourage visited and laid a wreath at the monument dedicating to Vietnamese volunteer soldiers in Phnom Penh. … [Read more...]

The two-storey facility has 10 rooms, spanning an area of 300 square metres and built at a cost of more than US$130,000. Addressing the launch ceremony, General Mop Sarun, Deputy Commander of the Royal Cambodia Army, emphasized the building is testimony to the growing ties between the two countries’ armies. He also expressed his sincere thanks to Vietnam’s Party, Government and people for helping Cambodia escape the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime and rebuild the country. Under a bilateral cooperation agreement between the two Defence Ministries, in 2014 the Vietnamese side has committed US$21.6 million in aid to the Royal Cambodia Army to purchase equipment, run training courses, and provide healthcare services. … [Read more...]

The agreement comes on the heels of a joint Cambodia and Vietnam government committee report issued last month that concluded the two nations could enhance friendship relations between the two nation’s peoples by collaborating on a range of religious matters. Speaking at the signing ceremony, HE Min Khin, Cambodian Minister of Culture and Religious Affairs, thanked the government and people of Vietnam for their support in overthrowing the Khmer Rouge regime and assisting the country to become prosperous. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Pham Dung in turn thanked Khin for his kind words of appreciation and expressed his confidence that the cooperation agreement would contribute to strengthening the good traditional ties of friendship between the two peoples. … [Read more...]

The same day, delegations from the Cambodian Defence Ministry and Royal Army High Command also laid wreaths and observed a one-minute silence in memory of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who died in Cambodia. Speaking after the incense ritual, General El Vansarath, Secretary of State of the Cambodian Defence Ministry, spoke highly of the sacrifice of the Vietnamese soldiers who helped his country escape from the Khmer Rouge genocide. He also expressed belief that Cambodia’s Royal armed forces and people and the Vietnam People’s Army will continue fostering the traditional friendship and solidarity between the two nations and people. … [Read more...]

State President Nguyen Minh Triet on February 28 attended the Vietnam-Cambodia business forum in the presence of Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Husen, as part of his official visit to Cambodia. Speaking at the forum, Mr Triet said the friendship between the two countries and nations has been cemented throughout their history of struggle for national liberalisation to foster unshakable solidarity and friendship. In that spirit, both countries should further strengthen economic cooperation to keep pace with the development of other countries around the world. To maintain the sustainable development of bilateral relations, it requires joint effortsby the two governments and active contributions by people and business circles of the two countries. The two governments will create every favarouble condition for Vietnamese and Cambodian entrepreneurs to cooperate in doing business andbringing prosperity to both nations, Cambodian PM Hunsen stressed. On this occasion,State President Triet … [Read more...]

Prominent among participants were former Politburo member and head of the Liaison Committee for former Vietnamese Experts in Cambodia, Vu Oanh, Chairman of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, Vu Mao, Cambodian Ambassador to Vietnam, Vann Phal, and counselor of the Lao Embassy, Khamphan Anlavan. Addressing the event, Vu Mao stressed that Jan. 7 marks an important turning point in Cambodian history when the Cambodian people came back to life and began national reconstruction. Liberation Day is also a symbol of the traditional friendly relations between the two fraternal countries, Vietnam and Cambodia, he said. Ambassador Vann Phal expressed his thanks for Vietnam’s timely assistance, saying that Vietnam’s involvement saved Cambodian lives and helped fight the Khmer Rouge. Many Vietnamese soldiers had died for the January 7 victory, he said. Mr Phal hoped that Vietnam and Cambodia would maintain their fine friendship, good neighbourliness and comprehensive … [Read more...]

The spokesperson made the statement at a regular press briefing in Hanoi on February 19 in response to the Philippine Parliament’s ratification of a bill on February 17, which mandates that several islands on the Truong Sa archipelago and Scarborough Shoal are under the Philippine’s management. Mr Dung stressed that all activities by foreign countries relating to the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in Vietnam without the country’s permission will violate its sovereignty and will have no legal value. “While seeking a fundamental and long-term solution to the disputes over these archipelagos, the parties concerned should observe the 1982 UN Convention of the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC),” said Mr Dung. The spokesperson called on all parties concerned to refrain from taking any action to complicate the situation so as to maintain peace and stability in the region. Strict punishment At the press … [Read more...]

Ms Phong made the statement at a reception in Hanoi on November 4 for visiting Deputy PM Men Sam An, who is also President of the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association (CVFA). The Vietnam National Assembly will do its utmost to strengthen relations with its Cambodian counterpart, said Ms Phong. She welcomed the results of visit exchanges and cooperation between Vietnamese and Cambodian friendship organizations in recent times and hoped that both sides will continue to support each other at multilateral forums. For her part, Men Sam An noted that Cambodia and Vietnam have treasured long standing relationship and the two nations have stood shoulder to shoulder to overcome numerous difficulties. She thanked the Vietnamese people for providing their heart-felt support and assistance to Cambodia to drive away the Khmer Rouge and reconstruct the nation. She also noted with satisfaction progress in the exchange of visits and cooperation between the two legislative bodies, contributing … [Read more...]

Both the president of the VCFA, Truong Kim Nhat and the Royal Consulate General of Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City, Lun Kimkhuon said that January 7, 1979 is an historic day and a concrete reminder of the traditional friendship between the two nations. Over the past 30 years, the two countries have continuously strengthened their cooperation in educating the youths through practical activities organised by Vietnam and Cambodia. On behalf of the Royal Family and the people of Cambodia, Consulate General Lun expressed his deep gratitude for the steadfast support of the Communist Party, the State and people of Vietnam in the Cambodian people’s past struggles to overthrow the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime as well as in their current process of national reconstruction. … [Read more...]

While receiving the delegation, the Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, Vo Minh Chien, expressed his wish that the friendship and solidarity between the two nations will be further consolidated in the future. He told the Cambodian military delegation that the living conditions of local residents, especially Khmer ethnic people, have much improved, and expressed his hope that Cambodian army officials, especially the General, will make more contributions to the friendly ties between the two countries. For his part, General Dieng Sarun said he was pleased with positive changes in the life of Soc Trang people, particularly the poor and the minority. He thanked the Vietnam People’s Army in general and the Soc Trang people in particular for helping Cambodia struggle against the Khmer Rouge regime in the past, as well as in the current national construction. … [Read more...]

The delegates were received by the Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women’s Union, Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, who underlined the need to preserve and develop the time-honoured, all-round relationship between the two organizations. Ms Hoa highlighted the significance of the visit by the Cambodian delegation, which coincides with Vietnam’s celebrations of the 35th anniversary of South Vietnam’s Liberation and the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi. She briefed her counterpart on the Vietnam Women’s Union’s recent activities, including three projects approved by the government such as promoting vocational training, building an academy for Vietnamese women, and preparing them for the process of industrialization and modernization. During the reception, Ms Sam An said that the Cambodian people consider Vietnam’s achievements in national construction as their own and recalled the support and sacrifice of numerous Vietnamese women for Cambodia’s struggle … [Read more...]

At a reception for the delegation from the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association led by its Chairman Vu Mao in Phnom Penh on November 22, Mr Hun Sen said that Vietnam and Cambodia are set to tighten the ties of friendship and cooperation for the benefit of developments in both countries. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) for the Prosecution of Crimes Committed during the Period of Democratic Cambodia is trying the three senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime, including Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan and Ieng Sary. During Pol Pot’s genocidal regime, Khieu Samphan acted as State leader, Nuon Chea was known as the “Brother Number Two” second in command, and Ieang Sary as Foreign Minister. Ieng Thirith, Ieng Sarry’s wife who was the then Minister of Social Affairs, was absent from the court due to her loss of memory. Hundreds of Cambodian people including Buddhists, students and survivors from the Khmer Rouge regime are closely following the … [Read more...]

At the March 8 meeting, the two municipal leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in various fields, including promoting the exchange of visits and sharing experiences between the two elected agencies. They also proposed organizing cultural activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic ties. Mr Mop Sarin expressed the Cambodian people’s gratitude to the Party, Government, voluntary soldiers and people of Vietnam for helping Cambodia defeat the Khmer Rouge regime and save Cambodian people from the genocide to reconstruct the nation. The solidarity between Vietnam and Cambodia, fostered by former generations, has made important contributions to creating the close links between the two cities as well as the two nations, Mr Sarin said. … [Read more...]

The construction of the facility was completed with financial assistance from the High Command of Chemical Arm of Vietnamese People’s Army. General Muon Sam Phan, Secretary of State of the Cambodian Ministry of Defence, praised the Vietnamese side’s support, saying that the sacrifices of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers greatly helped his country escape from the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime. Mayor General Pham Quoc Trung, Commander of the High Command, said that the construction serves as a vivid manifestation of the effective cooperation as well as the ties of friendship and solidarity between the two armies and peoples. … [Read more...]