President Truong Tan Sang meets with Lao leaders

During his working visit to Laos, on the afternoon of March 24, President Truong Tan Sang met with Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong.

President Truong Tan Sang meets with Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong. Source: VNA

The two sides had in-depth discussions on measures to effectively and seriously implement the high-level agreements of the two countries and the agreements of the 37th Meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee; agreed to promptly promulgate policy mechanisms to facilitate trade and investment cooperation between the two countries to continue to develop and ensure effectiveness; strive to bring the two-way trade turnover between the two countries in 2015 to 2 billion USD, an increase of 40% compared to 2014; and promote the effective implementation of the "one-stop, one-stop" project.

The two sides also exchanged in-depth views on a number of international and regional issues; agreed to strengthen close coordination at multilateral forums; continue to coordinate with other ASEAN countries to strengthen ASEAN solidarity and successfully implement the formation of the ASEAN Community by the end of 2015; agreed to strengthen cooperation and research on the sustainable and effective use of Mekong River water resources. President Truong Tan Sang affirmed that Vietnam supports Laos in successfully assuming the role of ASEAN Chair in 2016.

Also on the afternoon of March 24, President Truong Tan Sang had a meeting with Lao National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathotu.

The leaders of the two countries were pleased to note that the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States, two National Assemblies and peoples of Vietnam and Laos have been continuously consolidated and developed in all fields in recent times, bringing practical benefits to the people of the two countries. The two leaders agreed to continue to maintain delegation exchanges, meetings and regular contacts between senior leaders of the two Parties, Governments and National Assemblies; strengthen cooperation, information and experience exchange on National Assembly work; strengthen coordination and supervision between the two National Assemblies on investment cooperation projects between the two countries; and promote cooperation in human resource training.

On this occasion, President Truong Tan Sang highly appreciated the official visit of National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathotu to Vietnam and attendance at the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU-132) to be held in Vietnam at the end of March 2015 and considered this an important contribution to the success of the 132nd IPU Assembly as well as to the traditional friendship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.

According to VNA