HA NOI — Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hailed the fresh signing of an agreement on the triple border meeting point of Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos a success.

He called it "an event of major historical significance that paves the way for the three countries to co-operate for mutual development and practical benefits", and lauded the effort made by the three countries’ representatives to reach an agreement.

The PM made his remarks at a reception in Ha Noi yesterday for the Cambodian Senior Minister in charge of Border Affairs of the Council of Ministers Var Kim Hong and Lao Deputy Foreign Minister Phongsavat Bupha.

Following the agreement, he said the three countries should continue working on affairs pertaining to the defining of the Viet Nam-Cambodia land border and strengthen the system of border markers on the Viet Nam-Laos land boundary.

The PM also said the three countries should work together to build border peace, friendship, co-operation and development to serve the Cambodia-Lao-Viet Nam Triangle Development Programme, as agreed by the three countries’ prime ministers.

He affirmed that the Party, State and people of Viet Nam would do their best to foster friendship with Laos and Cambodia, and expressed hope the three countries work more closely for the mutual development and benefit of their people.

The Cambodian and Lao officials agreed that the signing of the tri-junction point agreement was a historical event that reflected mutual trust and mutual understanding among the three countries.

Cambodian Minister Var Kim Hong stated that his country would reinforce co-operation with Viet Nam on border demarcation and the planting of border markers.

He said he expected at least 100 border markers to be placed on the two countries’ shared border this year and the planting of all border markers to be finished by 2012.

Meanwhile, Lao Deputy Foreign Minister Phongsavat Bupha affirmed his country would push for the planting of border markers on the two countries’ borders to help bolster trade, tourism and exchange activities between people living along the border.

Mountain peak

The tri-junction point agreement was signed by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Dung, Var Kim Hong and Phongsavat Bupha.

Under the agreement, the tri-junction point was defined as being on a mountain peak which is 1,086 m above sea level where Viet Nam’s Kon Tum Province, Laos’ Attapu Province and Cambodia’s Rattanakiri Province meet.

The border crossing was drawn on a map that was attached to the agreement and was verified by the three sides.

The border crossing agreement was made in the spirit of upholding the principles of equality and accuracy to ensure the tri-junction point was clear, easily recog-nisable, and favourable for the management of the three parties’ borders, officials said.

The agreement was also made to ensure that the national boundaries of each country was unchanged.

The signing of the agreement reflected the determination and spirit of solidarity and friendship of the Governments and peoples of Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia to settle border and territory-related issues, officials said.

At the signing ceremony, all three countries’ representatives affirmed their resolve to complete work related to the in-the-field demarcation of their land borders.

They pledged their determination to build, protect and manage the shared border in peace, friendship and co-operation. — VNS