Cambodia, Vietnam to up defense ties

Cambodia, Vietnam to up defense ties

CAMBODIA: Vietnam will provide increased military training as
well as health care to the Cambodian armed forces and the two
nations will also cooperate to improve the defense of their joint
coastlines, officials announced on Wednesday.

A spokesman for Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Ieng
Sophallet, told reporters outside the Council of Ministers
building that recent meetings between top Cambodian and
Vietnamese military brass had resulted in renewed and improved
ties.

The announcement followed a visit by Vietnamese General Phung
Quang Thanh with the prime minister earlier in the morning, he
said.

"The general told the prime minister that the two sides agree
to increase training of Cambodian military personnel inside
Vietnam and agreed to receive military officials to treat their
illnesses in Vietnam when they are sick," Ieng Sophallet said.

"A Vietnamese naval delegation to Cambodia has also been
agreed on to meet with the Cambodian officials and discuss ways
of increasing protection of our common seas between the two
nations," he said.

The announcement is seen as a shoring up of already close
relations between the Cambodian government and Vietnam, which are
both members of ASEAN. --DPA