Greater efforts will be made to turn the Vietnam-Laos border into one of peace, friendship, cooperation, and comprehensive and long-term development. As well, a project will be sped up to strengthen and upgrade the land border marker system as committed, the statement said.

The two sides discussed forming a strategy of cooperation for the 2011-20 period to encourage enterprises of all economic sectors from the two countries to invest in various sectors. The targeted investment areas include trade, transport, energy, mining, oil and gas, post and telecommunication and other key economic areas.

Attention should also be paid to the expansion of the border gate economy through investment in infrastructure facilities such as transport, post and telecommunications, energy, services and tourism.

It is hoped that the above measures will result in two-way trade revenue of US$1 billion by 2010 and Vietnamese investment in Laos of $2 billion by the same year.

The two sides agreed to speed up cooperation programs and exchange experiences in a large number of areas, ranging from agriculture to forestry, aquaculture, metrological and hydrological services, environmental protection, natural resource management and health care.

The two nations also expressed satisfaction at the achievements gained by diplomatic activities and agreed to enhance their coordination on regional and international issues as well as in multilateral organizations and forums.

Source: VNA