Vietnam consistently attached great importance to and nurtured the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos in the interest of the two peoples and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh said.

The Vietnamese Party leader welcomed the official visit to Vietnam by President Thammavong and Lao NA delegates.

He hailed experience exchanges between the two legislative bodies in both legislation, as well as supervision and making decisions on major issues of each nation, thereby contributing to the development of bilateral relations.

General Secretary Manh congratulated the Lao people on their renewal achievements and expressed his belief that under the sound leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the country would surely obtain greater successes.

In reply, Thammavong asserted that the Party, State and people of Laos would preserve and try their best to fortify and further develop the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and people of Laos and Vietnam.

He wished the Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, would make greater achievements in their current renewal process.

In a talk with visiting Lao parliament president the same day, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made several pledges on relations with Laos, including tripatite and ASEAN cooperation.

Dung told Thammavong that the Vietnamese Government was giving active instructions on development of the signed agreements of bilateral cooperation, especially in economics, trade and investment.

He said he was satisfied at the fact that the sub-committees of the Inter-Governmental Vietnam-Laos Committee were finalizing the 2007 plan of cooperation on the basis of the progress made in implementing these agreements in 2006 so as to have them approved soon and deployed early next year.

Active preparations are being made for a meeting between the Prime Ministers of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia scheduled for early December, to review progress in the tripartite cooperation with focus on projects between the three countries and Japan, Dung said.

The meeting will also prepare for a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to be held in the Philippines by mid-December, he added.

Dung also informed Thammavong of Vietnam's plan to celebrate the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations and the 30th anniversary of the signing of the bilateral treaty of friendship and cooperation.

The National Assemblies of the two countries should make joint efforts in monitoring the progress of agreements which are being deployed in their own countries, the Vietnamese Government leader concluded.

For his part, Lao NA President Thammavong expressed thanks to Vietnam's great support and assistance to Laos in both material and experience.

Source: Thanh Nien