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Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh receives Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh yesterday in Ha Noi. —VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat |
The meeting between the two leaders yesterday resulted in the extension of the two sides' co-operation, which was marked with the signing of an agreement on air transportation.
Dung and Lao Prime Minister Bouphavanh, who began his three-day official visit to Viet Nam on Tuesday, yesterday witnessed the signing of a protocol which would enhance transportation circulation between the countries' borders. The twp sides are working to create an important legal frame to boost trade and business exchanges between the two countries.
The Lao leader confirmed that his country encouraged and would create favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to invest in Laos. The most prioritised fields of investment are education and human resources development,said Bouphavanh. Dung asked the two sides to co-operate in the project of improving the quality and effectiveness of their co-operation in these fields.
Dung and Bouphavanh expressed their pleasure with the fruitful development of their co-operative relations amid the world's fininacial turbulence.
The Vietnamese leader praised the socio-economic development achievements Laos have gained so far this year. Laos has managed to maintain their 7.9 per cent economic growth rate and the country's living standard has improved, despite the global financial crisis, droughts and epidemics the country has suffered.
The two sides agreed to continue exchanging high-ranking delegations to strengthen relations between the two people. The leaders also confirmed their determination to complete the Vietnamese-Lao co-operation strategy for the 2011-20 term and bilateral co-operation agreements for the next five years.
The leaders also discussed measures to boost bilateral co-operation in many fields, including economics, trade, investment, culture, tourism, healthcare and transportation.
The bilateral trade volume is expected to reach US$2 billion by 2015. The two countries also agreed to accomplish their demarcation and landmarks project by 2014. The co-operation on ensuring security, order and encouraging investment projects around the border areas will be expanded.
The work on the Vung Ang Port, which will facilitate the transportation of goods to and from Laos and work to develop the East-West Economic Corridor, will be accelerated to make the project operational soon. The deep-sea port, in the central Vietnamese province of Ha Tinh, is close to international marine lines and important highways, linking northeastern Thailand to the East Sea through central Laos.
The leaders exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual-concern. They also express their willingness to support each other at regional and mutual forums. Laos confirmed their support of Viet Nam's role as the chair of the ASEAN and its initiatives to promote solidarity and to improve the ASEAN Community.
VN, Laos friendship
Vietnamese leaders held a separate receptions for visiting Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh in the capital yesterday.
Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh said Viet Nam attached importance to developing relations with Laos for the benefits of the people and for peace, stability, co-operation and development in the region and the world.
He affirmed that the Viet Nam-Laos friendship, solidarity and co-operation was invaluable to the two nations and needed to be maintained, promoted and transferred to future generations.
He thanked Laos for its past support of Viet Nam.
Manh said he highly valued the results of talks between the high-level delegations of the two governments and expressed his pleasure at the comprehensive co-operation between the two countries.
He expressed his hope that the two Governments would continue to co-ordinate to implement agreements, improve the quality of personnel training and raise two-way trade. He also urged the implementation of investment projects and the project on upgrading and planting border markers between the two countries.
For his part, PM Bouasone Bouphavanh briefed Manh about the implementation of the resolutions of the 8th Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and recent resolutions of its Central Committee.
He expressed thanks for Viet Nam's great assistance to Laos and affirmed that the Lao Party, State and people would try their best to constantly develop the relations between the two countries.
During his meeting with the Lao leader, State President Nguyen Minh Triet praised agreements on co-operation between the two governments as well as economic co-operation between the two countries.
He expressed his joy at developments of economic joint ventures between Vietnamese and Lao enterprises and his belief that political and diplomatic ties between the two nations would bring favourable conditions for a breakthrough in bilateral economic co-operation and trade.
Bouphavanh briefed Triet about the results of the talks between the two governmental delegations, as well as achievements in economic co-operation between the two countries. He also informed Triet about the implementation of agreements between the two Party political bureaus and agreements reached during Triet's recent visit to Laos.
He affirmed that the Lao people and nation always kept in mind the great assistance from Viet Nam during their past struggle for national independence and the present national construction.
The two leaders also exchanged views on the prospects of economic co-operation between Vietnamese and Lao businesses, and the dissemination of information about the special ties enjoyed by Viet Nam and Laos to the people, especially young people.
Later the same day, the Lao PM was received by National Assembly chairman Nguyen Phu Trong, who expressed his pleasure at the close and effective co-operation relations between the two parliaments.
Trong pledged that the Assembly would actively implement signed co-operation agreements between the two legislative bodies and oversee the implementation of co-operation agreements between the two governments. — VNS
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