General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong solemnly hosted the General Secretary and President of Laos

Speaking at the reception, the two General Secretaries affirmed: The Vietnam - Laos friendship is a priceless common asset.

On the evening of December 26, at the International Convention Center, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and his wife hosted a solemn reception to welcome General Secretary and President Choummaly Sayasone and his wife, along with members of the Lao high-ranking delegation, on an official friendship visit to Vietnam.

Also attending were former General Secretaries Le Kha Phieu and Nong Duc Manh; President Truong Tan Sang, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and many Politburo members, leaders and former leaders of the Party, State, National Assembly and Government.

Speaking at the reception, the two General Secretaries once again affirmed that the Vietnam-Laos friendship is a priceless common asset of the two peoples.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stated: The Vietnam - Laos friendship is a relationship of life and death together, happiness and suffering together.

In his speech, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stated: the historical reality of the past half century shows that the Vietnam - Laos friendship is a relationship of life and death together, happiness and suffering together, a grain of salt bitten in half, a stalk of vegetable broken in half, built and nurtured with the sweat, effort and blood of many generations of leaders and people of Vietnam and Laos and has become a priceless common asset of the two nations.

On this occasion, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, on behalf of the Party, State and people of Vietnam, once again expressed his deep gratitude to the Party, State and people of the Lao ethnic groups for always giving Vietnam great, sincere and wholehearted support and assistance in the past struggle for national liberation and reunification as well as in the present cause of national construction and protection; vowing to, together with the Party, State and people of Laos, forever preserve and protect the special Vietnam-Laos solidarity relationship as if preserving and protecting the apple of one's eye; constantly consolidate and develop, enrich, deepen and increasingly strengthen it.

In his reply, Lao General Secretary and President Choummaly Sayasone thanked the Party, State and people of Vietnam for their warm welcome; expressed his joy at the good results of the talks and meetings in a friendly atmosphere of mutual trust, vividly demonstrating the traditional friendship, loyal and pure affection between the two countries.

General Secretary and President of Laos Choummaly Sayasone affirmed: The great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries will forever be kept in the hearts of the Lao and Vietnamese people.

Comrade Choummaly Sayasone believes that this visit will continue to contribute to tightening and bringing the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples of Laos and Vietnam to a new height, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Comrade Choummaly Sayasone affirmed: 2012 - the Year of Laos - Vietnam, Vietnam - Laos Solidarity and Friendship has ended, but the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries will forever be kept in the hearts of the Lao and Vietnamese people.

In an atmosphere of brotherly solidarity, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and General Secretary and President of Laos Choummaly Sayasone, along with distinguished guests and delegates, raised their glasses to wish that Vietnam and Laos will continue to gain greater achievements in the cause of national construction, achieving the set goals; wishing that the Vietnam-Laos relationship will be forever green and everlasting./.

According to (vov.vn) - LT