The Viet Nam-Laos relationship was an invaluable treasure to each country and an important element in the success of their revolutionary causes, the two nations said in a joint statement issued yesterday, June 22, in Vientiane.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a visit to Savannakhet Province meets with a Lao family whose members made a great contribution to the Vietnamese Revolution. (Photo: VNS)

The statement, which was released at the end of the three-day visit to Laos by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, noted that the Party, State and people of Viet Nam and Laos affirmed the importance, strategic significance, as well as the determination to maintain and promote the bilateral traditional friendship, special solidarity and… comprehensive co-operation.

Party General Secretary Trong’s visit to Laos from Monday to yesterday was made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and State President Choummaly Sayasone.

The two Party leaders held talks, discussing in depth the Viet Nam-Laos relations along with regional and international issues of common concern.

Trong, who is also Chairman of the National Assembly, met with President of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou, Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong and Permanent Vice President of the Lao Front for National Construction Tong Yeutho.

He also met with former Lao Party General Secretary and State President Khamtay Siphandone and delivered a speech at the first session of the Lao National Assembly (tenure VII).

The two sides noted they were pleased and proud that along with the two peoples’ great achievements, the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation, closeness and trust between the Vietnamese and Lao Parties, States and peoples, which were fostered by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Kaysone Phomvihane and unceasingly consolidated and developed by succeeding leaders and the two peoples, had deepened and gained important outcomes in all spheres.

Both sides reiterated the importance, strategic significance and resolve to forever preserve and promote their traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation in the new circumstance, considering it the rule of development, an important element to ensure the victory of each country’s revolutionary cause and an invaluable treasure of both Parties and peoples to the younger generations.

They agreed to boost bilateral comprehensive co-operation on the basis of promoting the spirit of independence, self-reliance, equal co-operation and mutual benefit and adequately associating the special characteristics of Viet Nam-Laos special ties with international norms, for the thriving development of each country, for peace, stability, co-operation and development in Southeast Asia and the world.

The two sides also agreed to conduct more meetings and contacts between senior party and state leaders and bring into play the role of existing co-operation mechanisms between the two parties and states.

The two sides reached consensus on taking 2012 as the “Year of Viet Nam-Laos friendship and solidarity” and on jointly organising celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties and the 35th anniversary of the signing of the Viet Nam-Laos Friendship and Co-operation Treaty.

The two sides agreed to expand and enhance the efficiency and quality of economic co-operation in a comprehensive manner by fully tapping each country’s potential and strengths, striving for two-way trade turnover of US$2 billion by 2015.

The two sides also unanimously agreed on measures to boost co-operation in defence and security and maintain political stability and security in each country.

They agreed on co-ordination to prevent and fight organised crimes and cross-border crimes while continuing to co-operate in searching for the remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Laos, and repatriating the remains.

The two sides acceded to complete the thickening and upgrading of a system of national land border markers by 2014 and to continue building the Viet Nam-Laos border of peace, friendship, co-operation, comprehensive development and long lasting sustainability.

The two sides compared notes and reached agreements on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

They affirmed that they would continue increasing the exchange of information and co-ordination at multilateral forums, especially in the ASEAN co-operation framework and sub-regional co-operation mechanisms, meeting the two peoples’ interests, to contribute actively to building a strong ASEAN Community and maintaining peace, stability, co-operation and development in the region and the world.

The two sides also affirmed to work with Cambodia in implementing effectively the agreement on the Development Triangle of Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam reached by the three prime ministers.

Viet Nam supported Laos in its bid to join the World Trade Organisation and host the Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in 2012 and other international events.

The two sides agreed to boost co-operation in preserving, protecting and using water sources of the Mekong River with respect to environmental production and sustainable development.

Both sides affirmed a desire to work together with parties concerned in the East Sea issue to solve the matter by peaceful measures and in line with international laws, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, in order to maintain peace, stability and co-operation in the region.

They highly valued the fruitful results and profound significance of the official friendly visit to Laos by Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong.

They underscored that the visit contributed to lifting the Viet Nam-Laos traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation to a new height of development.

Party leader visits

Party General Secretary and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong, his wife and entourage visited Savannakhet Province on Tuesday afternoon.

At a welcome reception, the Vietnamese leader said he was happy to visit the province – the homeland of late President Kaysone Phomvihane and other previous leaders of Laos.

Trong spoke highly of the achievements that had been gained thanks to mutual assistance and bilateral co-operation between Savannakhet Province and localities in Viet Nam.

He said he hoped Savannakhet would continue to expand co-operative ties with localities in Viet Nam, particularly provinces along the border, to maintain a shared border of peace and stability.

Savannakhet Provincial Party Committee Secretary and Mayor Suphan Keomisay briefed Trong on the province’s socio-economic development and said that Savannakhet had reached an annual GDP growth rate of 10 per cent.

The province had invested in cultivating sugarcane, rubber, eucalyptus and other industrial trees to help reduce poverty, eliminate hunger and develop rural areas and also improved health care and education services, he said.

Savannakhet wanted to further its co-operation with localities in Viet Nam, he said, adding that Viet Nam was currently the third largest investor in Savannakhet with 24 projects totalling more than US$140 million in investment.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese leader presented a new Culture House to Savannakhet. Mayor Keomisay thanked the Vietnamese leader for the gift and said that the cultural activities there would bear the name of late President Kaysone Phomvihane. While in Savannakhet, Trong and his entourage toured the Vietnamese Language Training Centre.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News