Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan held a meeting in Hanoi yesterday, October 16, to review the search for the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts killed in Laos and Cambodia during the last war.
Vice PM Nhan spoke highly of the operation and outcome of the search to find and bring back the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who had lost their lives during the war in Laos and Cambodia. The operation was being conducted by the Vietnam-Laos and the Vietnam-Cambodia government special taskforce committees.
He said the search for the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts killed in Laos and Cambodia will continue to be a political task and a key work of localities under a socio-economic development program.
Vice PM Nhan also asked relevant agencies and localities to press ahead with the implementation of the agreement on the work signed with Laos and Cambodia in coming times and coordinate with Lao and Cambodian counterparts to ensure the best outcome of the task.
The General Department of Politics at the Vietnam People’s Army reported that during the last 18 years, 30,538 remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts have been brought back to Vietnam during the period 1994-2012.
According to the report released from the Government’s Special Taskforce Committee, the name and birthplace of 2,841 out of the remains found, including 1,580 remains from Laos and 1,261 from Cambodia, have been identified.
At present, it is estimated that the remains of more than 1,000 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers are still scattered across Laos and 5,000 across Cambodia.
Relevant agencies are determined to scout and bring home 1,000 remains from Laos and 3,000 from Cambodia by 2015.
The task will continue until there is no more information about any remains left of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers in either of the two countries, concluded participants at the meeting.
Vice PM Nhan was assured of the continuous, close cooperation from Cambodia and Laos in the search for the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts killed during wartime.
He said the Cambodian Government and people have assisted and cooperated to search for 15,000 remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts.
In this same spirit, the Vice PM said he hopes that the Cambodian Government will continue to do their best to help Vietnam bring home all the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers still in Cambodia.
At the meeting, there were 586 teams and 1,598 individuals from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, who were rewarded for their outstanding achievements in the implementation of the search for martyr's remains.
On the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also met with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Men Som An, who was visiting Vietnam. He said that Vietnam will always bear in mind Cambodia’s effective help and affirmed that the country will try its best to work with Cambodia to develop bilateral ties extensively and effectively.
On this occasion, he also extended his deep sympathy to the Cambodian Royal family, Government and people on the death of former King Norodom Sihanouk.
Cambodian Deputy PM Men Som An, on her part, said her country always pays foremost attention to and will work closely with Vietnam to search for around 5,000 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 in its national liberation and reunification in the past and also extended deep gratitude to those volunteers and experts that gave their lives for the cause.
She asserted that the Cambodian Government will spare no effort to collaborate with Vietnam in searching for remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers.
Meeting with the Lao Deputy Defense Minister and Head of the Lao Government’s Special Taskforce, PM Dung expressed his hopes for continued cooperation from Laos in searching for more than 1,000 remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts still in Laos.
Chansamone Chanyalath affirmed that Laos will do its utmost in the task to appease aspirations of families of the Vietnamese volunteer soldier martyrs.
