Vietnam and Laos agree to further promote cooperative relations.

During his working visit to Laos, on the morning of December 10th, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Member of the Political Bureau, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Subcommittee, paid a courtesy call on the General Secretary and President of Laos, Choummaly Sayasone, and the President of the Lao National Assembly, Pani Yathoutu.

General Secretary and President Choummaly Sayasone receives Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also warmly congratulated Laos on successfully organizing the 8th Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Development Triangle Area Summit (November 24-25) and the 35th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (September 15-20, 2014).

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed that the Party, the National Assembly, the State, the Government, and the people of Vietnam always attach great importance and give the highest priority to continuously consolidating and developing the rare, special, loyal, and pure relationship between Vietnam and Laos.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc reported to the General Secretary, President of Laos and Chairman of the National Assembly of Laos Pani Yathoutu on the results of the talks between the Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Laos Somsavat Lengsavad.

Accordingly, the two sides reviewed the results achieved in implementing the agreements between the high-level leaders of the two countries, and the bilateral cooperation agreements and memoranda since the 36th Session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee, in preparation for the 37th Session scheduled for early 2015. The two sides also frankly discussed existing shortcomings and limitations in several projects and areas of cooperation, and proposed remedial measures to continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. Based on this, the two sides agreed to propose major directions for cooperation between the two countries in the coming period to be reported to the Political Bureaus of both countries.

The General Secretary, President of Laos and the Chairman of the National Assembly of Laos welcomed Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Vietnamese delegation on their working visit to Laos and the positive results of the meeting between the two cooperation subcommittees; sincerely thanked the Party, National Assembly, State, Government and people of Vietnam for always giving Laos valuable cooperation and support in the struggle for independence in the past, as well as in the current process of national construction and development; and conveyed greetings to the high-ranking leaders of Vietnam.

The General Secretary and President of Laos highly appreciated Vietnam's socio-economic development achievements and foreign policy; expressed satisfaction with the extremely positive development of the friendly and cooperative relations between the two Parties and two countries; agreed to continue maintaining regular exchanges of high-level visits and contacts in various forms; as well as strengthening theoretical exchanges and practical summaries between the two Parties, sharing experiences and supporting each other in preparing well for the upcoming National Party Congresses in each country.

The General Secretary and President of Laos also welcomed the efforts of the two cooperation subcommittees, ministries, sectors, localities, businesses, and people of both countries in implementing bilateral agreements, treaties, and memoranda of cooperation; expressed pleasure at the results of bilateral trade and investment cooperation; highly appreciated Vietnam's continued position as one of the leading foreign investors in Laos and its commitment to increasing ODA assistance to Laos by more than 30% in 2015; agreed to promote the implementation of strategic connectivity projects in transportation and energy between the two countries; and proposed continuously improving the effectiveness of investment and aid cooperation between the two countries.

Speaker of the National Assembly Pani Yathoutu receives Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc

During the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Lao National Assembly President Pani Yathoutu highly appreciated and proposed that the two sides continue to promote cooperative relations between the two National Assemblies, both within the bilateral framework and at regional and international parliamentary forums; and expressed gratitude to Vietnam for supporting and assisting Laos in successfully organizing the 35th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

Speaker of the Lao National Assembly Pani Yathoutu affirmed that he will attend the 132nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Vietnam in March 2015; emphasized that the Lao National Assembly will closely coordinate with the Vietnamese National Assembly in monitoring cooperation projects between the two countries, contributing to improving the quality and effectiveness of cooperation; and requested Vietnam's support for Lao agricultural development.

Also today, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited General Sisavath Keobounphanh, former Politburo member, former Prime Minister, and former Chairman of the Lao Front for National Construction; Comrade Samane Viyaked, former Politburo member, former Chairman of the National Assembly, and former Head of the Central Party Committee's Ideological, Theoretical and Cultural Affairs Steering Committee; offered incense at the home of Comrade Chueang Sombounkhane, former Central Party Secretary and former Head of the Central Party's Propaganda Department; worked with the Association of Vietnamese Investors in Laos (AVIL); and visited and spoke with officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos.

According to VOV