Minister of Interior Sar Sokha is attending a tripartite ministerial meeting between Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam that will focus on cross-border crimes, cybercrime, drug trafficking and human trafficking.

Touch Sokhak, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said yesterday that, “His Excellency Sar Sokha will lead a high-level delegation on a working visit to Danang in Vietnam from Thursday to Saturday.”

“The issues at the meeting between the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia with the Ministry of Police of Vietnam and the Ministry of Public Security of Laos are focused on strengthening and expanding cooperation in the sector of general security,” Sokhak said.

The spokesman added, “Topics include cross-border crimes, cybercrime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, general crime and border security”.

Sokhak said that Sokha will also discuss mutual assistance on the development of professional resources, including skills training securities, short training sessions and mutual support on technical equipment for professional work.

This year Cambodia has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on security work with Vietnam and Laos to continue enhancing the solidarity in ensuring national security and in the cause of national building, Sokhak added.

Sokha’s official visit was at the invitation of Vietnam Minister of Public Security General To Lam, and with the permission of Prime Minister Hun Manet.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Interior, the visit is a continuation of the tripartite cooperation mechanism between the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia, the Ministry of Public Security of Laos and the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, which has already been reinforced three times, it said.

At the summit celebrating the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation in Tokyo last year, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and Prime Minister Hun Manet, agreed to continue developing trilateral solidarity to enhance security cooperation and to promote nation building.

The leaders agreed to continue joint tripartite exercises and to maintain collaborative efforts to combat transnational crimes of all kinds, while working to ensure peace, stability and security.

The three Prime Ministers agreed to maintain regular high-level meetings, contacts and exchanges on all channels, and to carry out effective cooperation agreements, while also stepping up information sharing between ministries and key sectors.

They also committed to strengthen connectivity between the three economies with regard to both hard and soft infrastructures, and to support each other for building an independent and self-reliant economy that develops extensive and effective international integration at every level.

The Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA) was established 25 years ago and has contributed to promoting socio-economic development.

While some of its expected objectives are still lacking, there remains a strong desire among all three nations to create a breakthrough for cooperative development of the region.

The ideal scenario would open all three nations to greater exchanges of produce and cultural traditions, benefitting most especially, the 13 provinces that lie in the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area – Attapeu, Sekong, Saravan and Champasack in Laos; Stung Treng, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri and Kratie in Cambodia; and Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Nong and Binh Phuc in Vietnam.

• Tags: Sar Sokha, Vietnam