Agreements on joint search for Vietnamese volunteer soldiers fallen during the wars in Cambodia were signed between the southern Vietnamese province of Tay Ninh and five southwestern Cambodian provinces.

Under the agreements, between February 25-June 30, the administrations of Battambang, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey and Otdar Meanchay provinces and Pailin city will mobilise local people to seek remains of Vietnamese combatants, while Tay Ninh province will be responsible for unearthing, collecting and transporting the remains to Vietnam.

Reports released at the signing ceremony of the agreements said that over the past five years, 1,751 sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteers were found in Kampong Cham, Battambang, Siem Reap, and Banteay Meanchey provinces.

The agreements were signed on the basis of an agreement between the Vietnamese and Cambodian governments in 2000, which allowed southern Vietnamese provinces to co-operate with Cambodian localities to search for and transport remains of Vietnamese combatants to their home country.

Otdar Meanchay province and Pailin city signed such agreements for the first time.