Cambodia, Vietnam cooperate to fight against drug trafficking

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 21 -- Cambodia and Vietnam will strengthen

bilateral cooperation to fight against drug trafficking crossing the two

countries, an official said on Monday.

"Primer Minister Hun Sen held talks Monday with visiting Vietnamese Deputy

Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong at Cambodian National Assembly," the premier's

spokesman Ieng Sophalet told reporters after the meeting.

During the meeting, Ieng Sophalet said, "Hun Sen requested Vietnamese side

to help building a drug rehabilitation center for Cambodian victims because

Vietnamese side have more experience and abilities in dealing with the drug

cases."

"The center also will play a key role for helping to provide the vocational

training for those victims. Their families also have suffered from the drug

cases," Ieng Sophalet said, adding that after they left the center, they will

have appropriate jobs and skills in the future.

"Vietnamese thanked the bilateral cooperation and the cooperation between

the police authorities from both sides to fight against and crack down the drug

matters crossing border of the two countries in the past years," Ieng said.

Both sides have considered drug users as not criminals but they all are

victims from drug problems, he said, adding that Vietnamese side also expressed

a strong commitment to help reduce the drug cases in Cambodia.

Truong Vinh Trong, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the committee of

combating Drug, Aids, and Prostitution, arrived here Monday and will meet with

senior General Keo Kim Yan, chairman of the anti-drug authority of Cambodia on

Tuesday for bilateral cooperation.