Your Excellency Phan Van Khai, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Distinguished Guests,
First of all I wish to say how pleased I am to pay a visit once again to the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. I would like to express my profound appreciation for the warm hospitality extended to me and the Cambodian delegation. I wish also to thank this sumptuous dinner hosted by His Excellency Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in my honor and members of the Cambodian delegation.
This visit by our delegation can be considered as a historical one because it is on this occasion that both our sides have signed a Complementary Treaty to the 1985 Treaty on the Delimitation of State Border, which will significantly contribute to transforming the border between our two countries into a border of friendship, peace and cooperation. Moreover we have signed many other documents in the areas of transportation and communication infrastructure, education, social affairs, water resources and culture, which reflects the fact that the excellent friendship and cooperation between our two countries is progressing ahead steadily.
Furthermore, this afternoon, His Excellency Prime Minister and I discussed extensively in a cordial spirit of great understanding, friendship and fraternal solidarity, which will serve as a significant impetus for promoting the traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between Cambodia and Viet Nam.
After the signing of the Complementary Treaty to the 1985 Treaty of the Delimitation of State Border, I strongly hope that both our sides will be able to find a solution to the remaining points which we have not agreed on, in order to achieve, in the near future, and inclusive and conclusive treaty on the settlement of our entire land border on the basis of friendship, good neighborliness, and long lasting traditional ties between our two countries. With the significant result attained during this visit, I am quite confident that the excellent relations between our two countries will be even more active and cordial.
The Kingdom of Cambodia and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam are both on the road towards development and both are new members of ASEAN. Therefore, we should jointly endeavor to catch up with other countries in development, by promoting bilateral cooperation and cooperation with other countries and organizations in region, such as in the framework of ASEAN, Cambodia-Lao-Viet Nam Triangle Cooperation, Cambodia-Lao-Myanmar-Viet Nam Quadripartite Cooperation, Ayeyawadi-Chaopraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) between Cambodia-Lao-Myanmar-Thailand-Viet Nam and Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), etc. so as to uplift the living standard of our people.
While on this visit, I am extremely impressed by the seas of changes and progress in Viet Nam under the wise and appropriate policy guidelines of the Communist Party and Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam headed by His Excellency Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in the implementation of a policy of reform, industrialization and modernization thereby brining about a quick pace progress to Viet Nam’s socio-economic development. For instance, in the first six months of 2005, Viet Nam achieved a GDP growth of 7.63% along with many major accomplishments such as in fields of road and bridge infrastructure, industry, energy and electricity. Hanoi has also seen a lot of improvement and new construction, which has immensely enhanced the beauty of the city. As a close friend and good neighbor, we sincerely congratulate this great achievement.
For Cambodia, with the survival and progress in all sectors for the past 26 years, and on behalf of the surviving people of Cambodia, I wish to avail myself of this opportunity to express our gratitude to the Party, Government, army and people of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam for their great sacrifice to liberate the people of Cambodia from the genocidal regime of Pol Pot on January 7, 1979, prevent the return of the genocidal regime and assist the people of Cambodia during our most difficult time. In Cambodia there is an adage saying, “help each other in need.” This can be said of the helping hand of Viet Nam extended to Cambodia in time of great difficulties. Even if our joint action against the genocidal regime, then, was not considered as a good deed, a joint Cambodia-UN tribunal that is now in the process of trying the leaders of the genocidal regime, provides a satisfactory sense of justice for the Cambodian victims as well as those fighting against the genocidal regime, including the sacrifice of Vietnamese voluntary forces.
I would like also to take this occasion to convey our respect to the people of Viet Nam who lost their children, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers to the cause of survival of the people of Cambodia. I wish to stress that the people of Cambodia would not have has today if it were not for the 7 January 1979 liberation. And this is a historical fact that can not be refuted by any reactionary forces, no matter how malicious they are.
Finally, on behalf of the Royal Government and people of Cambodia, I would like to reiterate our gratitude for the past and present assistance provided by the Party, Government and people of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the people of Cambodia.
On this joyful moment, may I invite Your Excellencies, Ladies, and Gentlemen to join me in a toast,
– to the good health of His Excellency Nong Du Manh, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and Madam,
– to the good health of His Excellency Tran Duc Luong, President of State of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and Madam,
– to the good health of His Excellency Phan Van Khai, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and Madam
– to the long lasting bonds of friendship and excellent cooperation between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, and
– to the good health of Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen present here.
Thank You
