Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung receives Cambodian Standing Deputy PM Men Som An - Photo: VNA

He got the pledges at his separate receptions for Cambodian Standing Deputy Prime Minister Men Som An and Lao Deputy Defence Minister Chansamone Chanyalath in Hanoi on October 16.

The PM’s guests came out from a meeting to review the repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts killed in Laos and Cambodia during wartime held in Hanoi the same day.

Meeting with Cambodian Deputy PM, PM Dung said the Cambodian Government and people’s effective assistance and cooperation has helped repatriate nearly 15,000 sets of remains of fallen Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in the past time.

He said Vietnam always bears in mind Cambodia’s effective help and affirmed that the country will try its best together with Cambodia to develop bilateral ties extensively and effectively.

In the spirit, the PM said he hopes that the Cambodian Government will continue to do the best it can to help Vietnam to bring home all the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers still rested in Cambodia .

On this occasion, he also extended his deep sympathy to the Cambodian Royal family, Government and people over the death of former King Norodom Sihanouk.

Cambodian Deputy PM Men Som An, for her part, said her country always pays the foremost attention to and will work closely with Vietnam to search for around 5,000 sets of remains of Vietnamese soldiers which are still scattered in Cambodia.

She also expressed profound thanks to the Vietnamese Party and State for sending volunteer soldiers to Cambodia to help it in national liberation and reunification in the past and also extended deep gratitude to those volunteers and experts fallen in her country.

She asserted that the Cambodian Government will spare no effort to collaborate with Vietnam in searching and repatriating the remaining remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers.

Meeting with the Lao Deputy Defence Minister and Head of the Lao Government’s Special Task Board, PM Dung expressed his hopes for Laos’ continued cooperation in searching and repatriating over 1,000 remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts still remained in Laos.

Chansamone Chanyalath affirmed that Laos will do its utmost in the work to realise aspirations of the families of fallen Vietnamese volunteer soldiers.

Earlier, a meeting to review the repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts killed in Laos and Cambodia during wartime was held in Hanoi under the chair of Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan.

Nhan spoke highly of the operation and outcomes of search and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteers and experts died in Laos and Cambodia by the Vietnam-Laos government special task board and the Vietnam-Cambodia government special task committee.

He said the search and repatriation of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts killed in Laos and Cambodia will continue to be a political task and a key work of localities in their socio-economic development courses.

Nhan also asked relevant agencies and localities to press ahead with the implementation of the agreements on the work signed with Laos and Cambodia in the coming time and coordinate with Lao and Cambodian counterparts to ensure the best outcomes of repatriation work.

Lieutenant General Dao Duy Minh, Deputy Head of the General Department of Politics at the Vietnam People’s Army reported that 30,538 sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts have been repatriated in the 1994-2012 period.

According to Minh, who is Standing Deputy Head of the Government’s Special Task Board and Deputy Chairman of the Government’s Special Committee, the name and birthplace of 2,841 out of the found remains, including 1,580 remains from Laos and 1,261 from Cambodia, have been identified.

He added that at present, it is estimated that the remains of over 1,000 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers are still scattered across Laos and 5,000 in Cambodia .

Relevant agencies are determined to scout and bring home 1,000 sets of remains in Laos and 3,000 remains in Cambodian by 2015.

The task will be continued until there is no more information about the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers in the two countries, Minh said.

Source: tuoitrenews.vn