Vietnam and Cambodia will work closely to search and repatriate theremains of about 500 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers believed to be stillin Cambodia’s Military Zone 3.

The figure wasrevealed at a conference in Phnom Penh on July 16 to review the outcomesof collaboration between the two countries in the search efforts in sixlocalities of Military Zone 3 – Kampong Speu, Kampot, Kep, Takeo, KohKong and Pres Sihanouk.

At the conference, bothsides agreed that the authorities, people and soldiers of Military Zone 3as well as the Cambodia Royal Armed Forces have effectively cooperatedwith the Vietnamese side in the work.

Both sideshave shared information, gathered and returned remains of Vietnamesemartyrs and jointly held ceremonies to send the remains home.

Representatives from the six Cambodian localities also affirmed thatthey will continue supporting Vietnamese search teams in the work.

In the dry season of 2014-15 alone, as many as 141 sets of Vietnamesemartyrs’ remain were found while 132 other sets of remains found inCambodia military Zone 3 were gathered and repatriated.

On July 15, the government of Cambodia’s Takeo province also handedover 18 sets of Vietnamese martyrs’ remains to the Vietnamese side forrepatriation.

Currently, about 4,000 Vietnamesemartyrs who died during wartime are still lying in Cambodia. The twocountries have set a target to complete the majority of the search,gathering and repatriation of martyr remains by 2020.-VNA