Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh yesterday affirmed that Vietnam's Party, State and people would continue to strengthen the traditional and friendly relations with Laos for peace, co-operation and stability of the two countries, the region and the world.
Manh made the statement during an official visit to the neighbouring country while meeting with the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the President of Laos, Choummaly Sayasone.
The two leaders exchanged information on the development of the two parties and countries, and discussed plans and methods to boost comprehensive co-operation between Vietnam and Laos.
The two sides agreed to continue developing bilateral relations by bringing into play their independence, self-reliance, and advantages and potential for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
They also reached agreements on boosting exchanges between senior leaders of the two countries to share their experiences about Party building and development.
In order to teach the younger generation in both countries about the traditional relations between Vietnam and Laos, the two leaders agreed that improvements to compilations about their common struggle for national independence and construction history should be made.
Manh and his counterpart discussed specific methods that could be used to raise the quality of their co-operation in the fields of education, training and human resources development.
In acknowledgement of the importance of economic co-operation, the two leaders expressed their determination to intensify and multilateralise their trade exchanges, encourage investment activities, create favourable conditions for their enterprises to improve long-term co-operation, boost development of border economic zones and connect their infrastructure systems.
The two leaders reached consensus on steering their ministries, agencies and localities to review the implementation of their key co-operation programme during the 2006-10 period, and building the programme for the next five years as well as developing the co-operation strategy for the 2011-20 period.
They agreed on common measures to strengthen their co-operation in ensuring security, national defence and social order, preventing illegal activities by hostile forces and cross-border crimes, searching for the remains of Vietnam's volunteer soldiers, and completing the border landmark system by 2014.
They also expressed a need to expand cultural and sports exchanges, and agreed to hold a Laos Cultural Week in Vietnam this year.
The two leaders exchanged their views on various international issues and reached agreements on boosting their co-operation in regional and international organisations, and multilateral forums.
On this occasion, Manh congratulated Laos on its great achievements and expressed his hope that the country would continue to overcome all difficulties to make more achievements and to improve their status in the region and the world.
Choummaly Sayasone affirmed that Laos would continue to support Vietnam during its presidency of ASEAN and AIPA this year.
Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh met with several other Lao leaders yesterday, including: Thongsing Thammavong, President of the Lao National Assembly; Sisavath Keobounphanh, chairman of Lao Front for National Construction; and Bouasone Bouphavanh, Prime Minister.
Manh and the Lao leaders discussed plans to strengthen relations between Vietnam and Laos, especially in the fields of trade and economy, as well as between the two countries' national assemblies, governments, agencies and people.
The Lao leaders emphasised that Laos always appreciated the special and co-operative relations with Vietnam.
Manh stressed that Vietnam's Party and Government always prioritised further development of their traditional relations.
Thongsing Thammavong, President of the Lao National Assembly, said the NA would make every effort to boost relations, and would support and co-operate with Vietnam's National Assembly in regional and global inter-parliamentary forums, especially AIPA, so the Vietnamese NA could accomplish its role as the chair of AIPA this year.
Thongsing Thammavong expressed his pleasure about the co-operation between the two national assemblies and thanked Vietnam's National Assembly for its assistance in developing human resources and improving working conditions.
Manh said the two national assemblies needed to boost co-operation and exchange of experiences, especially in legislation, the supervision and decision-making regarding big issues in the two countries.
The two national assemblies should also co-operate to supervise and speed up implementation of high-ranking agreements between the two governments, they said.
Talking with Sisavath Keobounphanh, chairman of Lao Front for National Construction, Manh stressed that in the near future the Lao Front for National Construction and Vietnam's Fatherland Front would strengthen their information and experience exchanges regarding cadre training to contribute to their solidarity, and the construction and development of the two countries.
Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh said the Lao Government would create favourable conditions for Vietnam's ministries and localities to build co-operation with relevant agencies in Laos, and encouraged Vietnamese enterprises to invest in the country in the fields of energy, transport, post and telecommunications, and oil exploration.
Host and guest agreed to continue to remove barriers to boost co-operation between the two countries' ministries, agencies and people.
