Thursday, 24 September 2009

Vietnam pledges to help Cambodia in drug control


CAAI News Media

September 23, 2009

Vietnam is ready to help Cambodia in drug prevention and control, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong assured in Phnom Penh on September 22.

Deputy PM Truong Vinh Trong, who is on a four-day working visit to Cambodia from September 21, made the pledge while holding talks with his Cambodian counterpart Ke Kim Yan, who is also the Chairman of the Cambodian National Steering Committee for Drug Prevention and Control.

Vietnam is prepared to meet any requests by Cambodia to help it prevent and combat drugs, including sending Vietnamese experts to Cambodia to build detoxification centres in Kampong Speu, Kampong Cham and Phnom Penh and providing medical equipment and Vietnamese-produced medicine to help drug addicts kick off their habits.

Deputy PM Trong affirmed Vietnam’s pledge to engage in information exchange with Cambodia to combat drug-related crimes in the national and international framework as well as boost bilateral co-operation among border guards.

The Deputy PM also praised the five-point suggestion by Cambodian Deputy PM Ke Kim Yan, which aims to strengthen joint efforts by the two countries in preventing and combating drugs and to increase Vietnam’s assistance in enhancing the capacity of Cambodia’s drug prevention and control agencies. The suggestion completely conforms with the Memorandum of Understanding on the issue signed by the two countries in 1998, he added.

For his part, Deputy PM Ke Kim Yan thanked Vietnam for its assistance to Cambodia in organising training courses on techniques and tactics to investigate drug crimes including methods of analysis and drug testing.

The Cambodian Deputy PM also revealed that a concrete plan for training human resources is expected to be signed by the two sides in November at the bilateral ministerial conference on drug prevention and control in Hanoi.

After talks with Deputy PM Ke Kim Yan, Deputy PM Trong presented to Cambodia medicine made in Vietnam worth around US$15,000 for drug addiction treatment.

Previously, on September 21, the Vietnamese Deputy PM held talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. At the talks, PM Hun Sen expressed his delight at Vietnam’s strong socio-economic development and the prosperous co-operation between Vietnam and Cambodia, especially in drug, prostitution and HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

During his stay in Cambodia, Deputy PM Trong visited some detoxification centres in Phnom Penh. He is expected to visit Sihanouk province on September 23. (VNA)

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