Vietnam, Laos discuss increased cooperation

The Vice Chairman of the Lao National Assembly, Saysomphone Phomvihane< met Thursday with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who said the Viet Nam-Laos special relations were a valuable asset to the two Parties and States.

Dung praised the achievements Laos had recorded during national construction and socioeconomic development and expressed his pleasure at the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

The two governments were trying to implement a co-operation agreement while promoting new co-operation programs, especially in economics, trade and investment, the PM said.

Saysomphone Phomvihane reiterated Laos's consistent policy of attaching importance to and further boosting the special and comprehensive co-operation with Vietnam .

He said he hoped that Viet Nam would share its experience in socio-economic development as well as in legislative operations.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung also received Vice Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Saysomphone Phomvihane yesterday.

NA Chairman Hung said he believed that the visit would contribute to boosting the special friendship between the two countries.

He expressed his support for the content of recent talks between the two countries' Vice NA Chairmen, which, he said, manifested the close co-operation between the two legislative bodies.

The legislative leader asked the two National Assemblies to increase the exchange of delegations and work together to organise activities marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries and the 30 years since the signing of the Viet Nam-Laos Friendship and Co-operation Treaty in 2012.

Hung spoke highly of Laos's position as host of the seventh Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP-7) and the ninth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM-9) in 2012, saying this would help the country heighten its position in the region as well as the world.

Viet Nam is ready to assist Laos in organising the two events, the NA Chairman affirmed.

For his part, Saysomphone Phomvihane said the Party, State and people of Laos always remember the effective support of the Vietnamese Party, State and people.

He said his visit aimed to realise the agreements reached by the two countries' senior leaders, pledging that the delegation would make all-out efforts to contribute to the traditional friendship between the Parties, States and peoples.

Saysomphone Phomvihane earlier had a working session with Chairman of the Viet Nam NA's Committee for External Relations Tran Van Hang, during which the two sides exchanged experience in the ASEP-7 organization.