Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (R). (Photo: VNA)
Binh Phuoc (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended a ceremony on June 20 marking the 45th anniversary of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sento overthrow the genocidal regime of Pol Pot, held in Memot district, Cambodia’s Tbuong Khmum province.
On this day, 45 years ago, after crossing the Cambodia-Vietnam border and arriving in Binh Phuoc, Hun Sen, who was then a lieutenant colonel and regimental commander of Region 21 in eastern Cambodia, and his comrades decided to seek help from Vietnam to overthrow the genocidal regime of Pol Pot to restore peace to his homeland.
With the help of the Vietnamese Party, State and People, they gradually established the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation and, together with Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, completely defeated the genocidal regime on January 7, 1979, saving millions of Cambodians from genocidal catastrophe.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Chinh said the event is more significant against the backdrop of the two countries celebrating the 55th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties (June 24) and Cambodia hosting with successful elections to the commune/neighbourhood council for the fifth term on June 5.
Condemning the genocide caused to the Cambodian people as well as the brutal crimes of aggression committed by the Pol Pot gang against the Vietnamese people, Chinh said Vietnam shares the difficulties and wholeheartedly helps. Cambodia building up forces for his revolution; and supported and coordinated with Cambodian uprising forces to fight Pol Pot’s reactionary group.
He said the celebration not only recalls the beginning of the struggle for justice, but is also a vivid manifestation of friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the event. (Photo: VNA)
The Vietnamese leader also took the opportunity to thank Cambodia for its valuable support for Vietnam’s past struggle for national liberation and the current cause of nation building and safeguarding.
Prime Minister Hun Sen, for his part, pointed out that history has proven that without the trip to overthrow the Pol Pot regime from June 20 and the events that followed, Cambodia could not have had this he has today.
He once again affirmed the merits of the Vietnam act, as Vietnamese volunteer soldiers joined the Cambodian people in their struggle for national liberation, helping them get rid of the genocidal regime.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the fine development of the tradition of friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, which has brought substantial benefits to the two peoples and contributed to peace, stability and development in the region and around the world.
He affirmed the importance attached to good neighbourliness, age-old friendship and all-out cooperation between the two countries.
On this occasion, the two leaders visited several works of the historic site of Techo Koh Thmar X16 in Neighborhood Memotand cut a ribbon there to inaugurate the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship House.
Earlier in the morning, Prime Minister Chinh received his Cambodian counterpart in Binh Phuoc province./.