Ceremony marks 45th anniversary of southwest border defense victory

Prominent among the participants was Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong.

The event provided a chance for the two countries to express gratitude to the past generations who shed their blood for peace and development of the two nations, while educating people, especially the youth of Viet Nam and Cambodia, on the need to maintain, reinforce and develop the special traditional friendship between the two nations.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai quoted Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as saying during his Cambodia visit in July 2017 that the history will never be forgotten and no one will fall into oblivion, and that eternal glory belongs to the outstanding sons and daughters who laid down their lives for the Fatherland of the two peoples.

He recalled the crimes that the Pol Pot genocidal regime committed since it came to power in April 1975, with more than 3 million Cambodian and tens of thousands of Vietnamese killed only in 3 years, 8 months and 20 days.

Along with that, the Pol Pot group mobilized most of its military power to invade the southwestern border of Viet Nam, seriously violating independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Viet Nam, distorting history, inciting national hatred, trampling on the good values of the traditional friendship and good neighborly relationship between the two peoples of Viet Nam and Cambodia.

In response to the call from the Cambodian United Front for National Salvation and the Cambodian people, and to defend the country's sacred sovereignty, Viet Nam cooperated with Cambodian armed forces to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime on January 7, 1979.

This was a common victory of the two peoples, firmly defending independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia and Viet Nam, ending a dark page of Cambodia, saving the Cambodian people from the genocidal disaster, opening up a new era of development in independence, peace, neutrality and prosperity, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai underlined. He added that the victory over the Pol Pot genocidal regime also contributed to maintaining peace, stability in Southeast Asia and the world.

He highlighted achievements that Cambodian people have gained in the past 45 years, as well as the growth of the Viet Nam-Cambodia sound neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability.

The Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that Viet Nam always treasures and give top priority to reinforcing and strengthening the sound neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia for the benefit of the two peoples and for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

For his part, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun said that Cambodian people always remember the sacrifice by Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who shed blood and laid down their lives to fight the Pol Pot genocidal regime and liberate Cambodian people.

He said that the relations between the two countries are benefiting the two peoples in various aspects such as economy, trade, investment, agriculture, transport, telecommunications, education, culture, sports, tourism, defence and security.

The Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister pledged that Cambodia always gives the highest priority to maintaining the traditional solidarity and mutual support between the two sides.

It can be affirm that the Viet Nam-Cambodia relationship is a symbol of good neighbourliness in the world, he stressed

Participants listened to touching stories of former experts and volunteer soldiers of Viet Nam who performed international missions in Cambodia, and enjoyed art performances honouring the Viet Nam-Cambodia friendship./. VNA