From left, Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Vietnamese and Lao counterparts Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Thongloun Sisoulith after the 10th Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam summit in Hanoi. AFP
Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos have vowed to strengthen cooperation and agreed to mutually provide free Covid-19 vaccinations to diplomats and students residing in the countries.
The agreement came at a virtual meeting initiated by Prime Minister Hun Sen on March 10, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
“The three prime ministers agreed to further strengthen their cooperation and render support for one another in the fight against Covid-19,” the press release said.
Concerning the community outbreak of Covid-19 in the Kingdom, the prime ministers of Laos and Vietnam expressed confidence that the Cambodian government will be able to contain it with the diligent efforts and strict measures put forth by Hun Sen.
The three leaders expressed overall satisfaction in the growing relationship and cooperation in various fields between the three countries amid the Covid-19 crisis. They also noted the increase in trade volume between Cambodia and Laos, and Cambodia and Vietnam.
“They agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the field of politics, security, national defence, border management, trade and investment, connectivity, energy and education,” the press release said.
They also agreed to continue to effectively maintain the existing mechanisms of cooperation, to boost cooperation between their border provinces, effectively implement agreements on border management, further collaborate on security measures along the shared border and to facilitate trade and investment activities and the entry of people and goods via border checkpoints.
Lastly, the three leaders exchanged views on the regional and international issues of common interest and concern.
“Regarding regional and international issues of common concerns, the prime ministers shared their wish that Myanmar would soon be restored to stability and that disagreements there should be addressed through peaceful dialogue for the benefit of Myanmar and for peace and stability in the region,” according to a government Facebook post.
Kin Phea, director of the Royal Academy of Cambodia’s International Relations Institute, said the three countries’ cooperative efforts to stop Covid-19 were of real importance to the restoration of their economies after the crisis ends and that diplomatic relations between them on matters of politics, economics, trade and relations appeared to be stable and healthy.
