Vietnam supports Lao PDR's accession to the WTO
During the official talks, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan affirmed that Vietnam will continue to support Laos in successfully organizing the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 9) and many other important events.
Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong warmly received Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan
At the invitation of Lao Vice President Bounnhang Vorachith, a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation led by Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan arrived in Vientiane to begin an official visit to the Lao PDR from June 18 to 20.
Leaders of the Government Office and central ministries of Laos went to Vat Tay airport to welcome the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation. This was followed by an official welcoming ceremony for Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan, solemnly held at the Presidential Palace on the afternoon of June 18.
Immediately after the welcoming ceremony, the two sides held talks. Participating in the talks on the Lao side were Minister and Head of the Office of the President Phongsavath Boupha and representatives of the leaders of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education and Sports, Industry and Trade, Planning and Investment; representatives of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Sub-Committee and the Lao Women's Union.
On the Vietnamese side, there were Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Ta Minh Chau; Deputy Head of the Office of the President Nguyen Huu Luc and representatives of the leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Education and Training and the Vietnam Women's Union.
Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan expressed her joy to return to visit the Lao PDR and thanked the Lao leaders and people for their warm welcome and brotherly affection.
The Vice President highly appreciated the important achievements in all aspects that the Lao people have achieved in recent years under the leadership of the Party and State of the Lao PDR, continuing to maintain political stability and social order and security, economic development, improved people's lives, and the increasingly enhanced role and position of Laos in the region and the world.
Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan affirmed that Vietnam attaches special importance to consolidating and enhancing the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, considering this a priceless asset that needs to be preserved and passed on to future generations.
Vice President of the Lao PDR Bounnhang Vorachith warmly welcomed and highly appreciated the significance of the official visit to the Lao PDR by Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and the high-ranking delegation of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in the context that the two countries are jubilantly celebrating the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations and the 35th anniversary of signing the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.
Vice President Bounnhang Vorachith congratulated Vietnam on its important, comprehensive and historic achievements in all fields under the leadership of the Party, State and Government of Vietnam, considering them a great source of encouragement and valuable experience for Laos.
The two sides were pleased to see that the special Vietnam-Laos relationship has been increasingly consolidated and strengthened in all fields of politics, national defense-security, economy-trade-investment, education-training, etc. The two sides regularly exchange delegations at all levels and effectively maintain bilateral cooperation mechanisms; cooperation between ministries, departments, branches and localities of the two countries is increasingly close and effective.
Defense-security cooperation has been enhanced, contributing to ensuring security, stability and development of each country; people's lives in the developed cluster areas have taken on new faces, actively contributing to building a peaceful, stable and sustainably developed border area.
The two sides agreed that economic, trade and investment cooperation has recently improved and deepened, with two-way trade turnover continuously increasing rapidly at an average rate of 30-40% per year; Vietnam has become the leading investor in Laos with more than 3.57 billion USD.
The two sides exchanged opinions and reached high consensus on the direction of cooperation in the coming time. The two sides will continue to closely coordinate and organize many meaningful activities to practically celebrate the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year. On this occasion, they will widely disseminate and educate the people of the two countries, especially the young generation, about the tradition of special Vietnam-Laos solidarity.
The two sides affirmed to continue to maintain the exchange of delegations at all levels, strengthen close cooperation between ministries, departments, sectors and localities of the two countries, actively implement agreements of high-level leaders and signed cooperation agreements in all fields; facilitate Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Laos; at the same time, improve the quality and efficiency of projects, especially investment projects and non-refundable aid projects of Vietnam, including the project to build the President Ho Chi Minh Memorial Site in Khammouane province and the project to upgrade the Lao National Academy of Politics and Public Administration, phase 2; strive to bring the trade turnover between the two countries to 2 billion USD by 2015.
The two sides agreed to soon complete the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy in Hua Phan and Xieng Khouang provinces, coordinate to promote cooperation in the fields of education, health, agriculture and rural development, infrastructure construction, tourism, culture, post and telecommunications, transportation, hydropower, mining, etc.
Vietnam affirmed its support for Laos to soon join the World Trade Organization (WTO), and continued to support Laos in successfully organizing the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 9) and the 7th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP 7) at the end of 2012. Laos affirmed that it will closely cooperate with relevant countries to sustainably use the Mekong River's water resources, paying attention to the impact on the environment.
At a meeting with Comrade Thongsing Thammavong, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan expressed her delight at seeing the relationship between the two Parties, States, Governments and peoples continue to be consolidated, developed in depth and effectively.
The Lao Prime Minister welcomed the visit of the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, considering this a very meaningful activity contributing to the success of the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year, as well as strengthening the special friendship, cooperation and solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.
The Lao Prime Minister thanked the Government and people of Vietnam for their great support to the Lao people in their past struggle for independence as well as in the current renovation cause.
The Lao Prime Minister assessed that many Vietnamese enterprises have successfully invested in Laos and affirmed that the Lao Government will create favorable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to invest and do business in Laos and emphasized that in the coming time, the two sides need to organize more seminars and trade and investment promotion activities to promote economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
Also on the afternoon of June 18, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan met with Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathoutu.
The Vice President highly appreciated the good cooperation achievements in all fields that the two countries have achieved in recent times, including the active contributions of the National Assembly agencies of the two countries.
The Lao National Assembly Chairman highly appreciated the significance of the visit and congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in recent times. National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathoutu highly appreciated the good results of the "Conference on Cooperation between the Vietnamese and Lao National Assemblies on Solidarity and Friendship" in April in Son La province, Vietnam, saying that the Conference left a good impression, further enhancing the solidarity between the two National Assemblies./.
According to (VOV.vn)-LT
