Vietnamese and Lao State Presidents hold talks

State President Truong Tan Sang and his delegation arrived in Vientiane on February 9 for their two-day official friendship visit at the invitation the General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and State President Chummaly Sayasone.

The visit is the first to Laos by Mr Sang as State President of Vietnam, as well as the first event in a series of activities celebrating the Year of Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship in 2012.

After the welcome ceremony, talks were held between the two State leaders.

Lao President Sayasone said Mr Sang’s visit is a practical step opening diverse activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the friendship between the two countries and helping to bring the Vietnam-Laos relationship to a higher level.

For his part, President Sang expressed delight with his first visit to Laos in his capacity as State President, while praising the achievements the Government and people of Laos have recorded toward the cause of national construction and development.

Mr Sang said he hopes Laos will continue to gain still greater achievements in improving people’s living standards and raising its role and status in the region and the world.

The two sides noted with satisfaction the constant development of relations between Vietnam and Laos in recent times, especially in politics, national defence and security, economics, diplomacy, trade, investment, and education and training.

They agreed to coordinate joint actions in organizing activities for the celebration of the Year of Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship in 2012 and maintain the exchange of visits of high-ranking delegations to promote mutual trust and understanding.

The two sides also expressed their satisfaction with bilateral cooperation in ensuring national defence and security in border areas, boosting investment in agro-forestry and fishery production, and preventing cross-border crime.

Economic cooperation between the two countries has made great strides over the past few years. Vietnam has become Laos’s second biggest investor with a total investment capital of US$3.57 billion.

They agreed to effectively implement cooperation projects on trade, investment, transport, agriculture and hydroelectricity, towards bringing two-way trade to US$2 billion by 2015.

Both sides spoke highly of the result of cooperation in education and training and agreed to work together on a project to improve the quality and efficiency of Vietnam-Laos cooperation in education and human resources development.

They will also coordinate more closely in such areas as healthcare, agriculture and rural development, infrastructure, tourism, culture, and post and telecommunication.

On regional and international issues of common concern, the two sides determined to enhance coordination and cooperation at regional and international forums such as the UN, ASEAN, AIPA and ASEM. Vietnam will continue to help Laos organize a number of summits in 2012 such as the 9^th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 9) and the seventh Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP 7).

On the occasion, President Sang invited Mr Sayasone and his wife to visit Vietnam later this year and his invitation was accepted with pleasure.

After talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a protocol on cooperation in training human resources for Laos in Vietnam; a plan for cooperation between Vietnamese and Lao ministries of education and training in 2012; a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Vietin Bank’s credit provision for Laos’ Central Bank; and an investment license for a US$6.6 million project run by the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) and the Vietnam National Chemical Group to support the building of schools and social welfare activities in Laos.

The same day, President Sang met with Lao Prime Minister Thoongsing Thammavong and National Assembly (NA) Chairman Pany Yathotou, and laid wreaths at the Unknown Soldiers’ Memorial.

Mr Sang also attended the inauguration of some projects in Vientiane and Viettin Bank’s branch representative office, and talked to staff from the Vietnamese Embassy and overseas Vietnamese in the country.

Later in the evening, Mr Sang joined a banquet given by President Chummaly Sayasone. He is due to leave Vientiane on February 10 for Laos’ Champasak province.