(VOVworld) – The 8^th plenary session of the Conference on Cooperation and Development betwene Vietnamese and Cambodian border provinces opened in HCM city on Wednesday. Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng co-chaired the event. Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, head of the delegation of senior Vietnamese officials, said:  “Although the two countries have signed a number of agreements and joined several regional and global conventions, we still need new agreements in specific areas in order to boost cooperation.”

The Cambodian officials said they would continue to cooperate with Vietnam in improving border management and building an ASEAN Community by the end of the yera. Head of the delegation of senior Cambodian officials Prum Sokha said: “Mutual understanding has been strengthened, making it easier to resolve pending issues. The focus now is on creating favorable conditions for increased economic cooperation.”

The meeting released a 16-point statement. The next meeting will be held in Cambodia next year.