High-level delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence visits Laos.

A high-level delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, led by General Phung Quang Thanh, Member of the Political Bureau and Minister, paid a friendly visit to Laos from January 5-7 at the invitation of the Lao Minister of National Defence, General Douangchay Phichith.

Minister Douangchay Phichith welcomes Vietnamese Minister of Defence Phung Quang Thanh. Photo: Vietnam+

On the morning of January 6th, following the official welcoming ceremony at the Lao Ministry of Defense, the two ministers held talks.

Minister Douangchay Phichith warmly welcomed the high-level delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence to Laos, as the two countries are preparing to celebrate major national and military holidays in 2014, demonstrating the special fraternal relationship between Laos and Vietnam.

The General sincerely thanked the Party, Government, people, and the People's Army of Vietnam for the very practical assistance they have given to Laos in general and the Lao People's Army in particular over the past period.

The General emphasized that, together with the entire Party and people, the Lao People's Army is committed to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the fraternal Vietnamese People's Army, determined to preserve and cultivate the special Laos-Vietnam relationship for sustainable development today and for future generations; affirming that the delegation's visit will make a great contribution to preserving and further strengthening the friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam.

For his part, Minister Phung Quang Thanh sincerely thanked the Lao Ministry of National Defence for the warm, thoughtful, and fraternal welcome extended to the delegation. The Minister congratulated the Lao people on their achievements in recent years; congratulated them on the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Lao People's Army; and expressed his confidence that in the new phase of the revolution, the Lao People's Army will excellently fulfill the tasks entrusted by the Party and the people.

The Minister affirmed that the Party, State, people, and People's Army of Vietnam, together with the Party, State, people, and People's Army of Laos, will always make every effort to preserve, cultivate, and develop the special relationship between the two countries, contributing to the protection of peace and stability in the region and the world.

The two ministers expressed satisfaction with the practical results of cooperation in many fields between the two countries' armed forces in the past, and agreed that in the future, both sides will continue to strengthen cooperation in depth in areas such as training, exchange of experience and information, exchange of delegations at all levels, coordination to promote the search, collection, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos over the years; and to promote the building of a friendly and sustainable border...

The two ministers also briefed each other on the socio-economic situation and activities of their respective Ministries of Defence, as well as many important issues of mutual interest. On this occasion, they signed the 2014 Cooperation Plan.

During their visit to Laos, the delegation visited the 1st Mechanized Infantry Regiment of the Lao People's Army.

According to VNA