Trung, who is Chairman of the National Boundary Commission, made the remark duringan interview recently granted to Vietnam News Agency.
The interview came as aconference reviewing the implementation of the master plan on increasing andupgrading Vietnam-Laos border markers took place in Hanoi on September 19.
Asked about major points inthe settlement of Vietnam-Laos border issues, Trung said the Vietnam-Laosborderline stretches as far as nearly 2,337km, through 10 Vietnamese and 10 Laoprovinces. On July 18, 1977, Vietnam and Laos concluded negotiations and signedthe Convention on National Border Demarcation.
Accordingly, from 1978-1987, bothsides basically completed border demarcation in the field and settled emergingissues such as the transfer of land, people and assets in line withinternational law. The results were hailed in the Supplementary Treaty to the1976 Treaty on National Boundary Delimination signed on January 24, 1986 and theProtocol on border demarcation in the field and border marker planting inked onJanuary 24, 1986 and the supplementary Protocol to the Protocol on border demarcationin the field and border marker planting signed on October 16, 1987.
Since 1987, the two sideshave devised a digital Vietnam-Laos national map at a scale of 1:50,000, dealtwith all discrepancies in borderline, border markers and border sections,signed the Vietnam – Laos – China and Vietnam – Laos – Cambodia borderconventions.
From 2008-2016, the twocountries partnered to implement the project on increasing and upgradingVietnam-Laos border markers. There are now 1,002 border markers and posts at905 positions, which are specified in the Protocol on Vietnam – Laos borderlineand border markers signed on March 16, 2016.
Regarding main contents oftwo Vietnam – Laos legal documents which took effect on September 5, 2017,Trung said the Protocol on Vietnam – Laos borderline and border markers signedon March 16, 2016 featured the outcomes of border demarcation and markerplanting from 1977-1987, the settlement of several demarcation differences andthe implementation of a project on increasing and upgrading Vietnam-Laos bordermarkers for 2008-2016.
The Agreement on Vietnam –Laos border and border gate management regulations comprises specificprovisions regarding collaboration between the two countries’ agencies in managingand safeguarding borderline and border markers, handling border events andmanaging border gates to maintain security, social safety and order in borderareas.
According to the official, theVietnam – Laos border areas play a significant strategic role in the twocountries’ national defence-security and socio-economic development. Therefore,ministries, agencies and localities should implement legal documents on borderareas signed between the two countries in order to build a Vietnam-Laosborderline of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and sustainabledevelopment.-VNA