Hanoi (VNA) – The building of hydropower projects onthe Mekong River’s mainstream must ensure that they do not cause negativeimpacts, including cross-border effects, on the environment and socio-economicdevelopment of the countries along the river, especially the nations in thedownstream region, in line with international practice and regulations of theMekong River Commission, said a Vietnamese official.
Answering a reporter's query on Laos’ plan to construct a damin Luang Prabang in April raised at the ministry’s regular press conference onMarch 5, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' spokeswoman Le Thi ThuHang said that as a country lying in the Mekong River's downstream region,Vietnam has paid much attention to cross-border impacts of not only the LuangPrabang hydropower project, but all hydropower works on the river's mainstream.
“As we have repeatedly stated, countries, which havelegitimate interests in using the Mekong River’s water resources fordevelopment, have a shared responsibility for the sustainable use of the waterresources,” Hang stressed.
“Vietnam wants and is willing to intensify cooperation withthe countries along the Mekong River to manage and use efficiently andsustainably its water resources in order to ensure the harmony of benefits ofthe countries without negative impacts on the lives of people living in the region,”she added./.
