Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith speaks at the grand ceremony (Source: VNA)Laos andVietnam marked the 40th year of their Treaty of Amity andCooperation on July 18 and the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relationson September 5 this year.
A high-leveldelegation of Vietnam led by Politburo member and National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong attended the celebration.
The establishment ofdiplomatic ties and the signing of theVietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation were vital to the great friendship,fighting alliance and special solidarity between the two nations, Lao Party GeneralSecretary and President Bounnhang Volachith said in his speech.
They also provide a firm foundation and a driving force for the comprehensivecooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples, as well as animportant factor to ensure peace, stability, cooperation and development in theregion and the world, he said.
BounnhangVolachith highlighted the time-honoured relations between the two countries, stressingthat the two nations stood shoulder by shoulder and supported each other duringthe long struggle for national independence, which was the decisive factor inthe success of each country’s revolution, and the root of their exemplaryspecial relationship at present.
He affirmed that under any circumstances, the bilateral relations will always benurtured and fostered in a practical and effective manner across fields, forthe sake of the two peoples.
The Lao leader expressed the deep gratitude to the Vietnamese Party, State andpeople for their huge and effective assistance for his country in the past andat present.
He also congratulated Vietnam on great achievements during its renewal (Doimoi) process, saying that his country considers those as a great source of encouragementand valuable experience for Laos’s national defence and construction.
Addressing the ceremony, Vietnamese National Assembly ViceChairwoman Tong Thi Phong said the establishment of diplomatic relationship in1962 was an important landmark in the bilateral ties, while the signing of the Treatyof Amity and Cooperation laid an important political and legal basis for furtherstrengthening the bilateral ties, serving national construction and defence ofeach country.
She thanks the Lao Party, State and people for the great support they havegiven to Vietnam during the past struggles for national liberation, and thecurrent national construction and defence.
The Vietnamese legislative leader called for joint determination and efforts tomaintain the exemplary and faithful relationship, which she described as avaluable common asset of the two nations.
While congratulating Laos on achievements during the 30-year renewal process, Phongexpressed her belief that under the leadership of the Lao People’s RevolutionaryParty, the governance of the Lao Government, and the supervision of the Lao NationalAssembly, the country will successfully implement the Resolution of the 10th Party Congress and its five-year socio-economic development plan for 2016-2020,thus increasing its position in the region and the world.
The same day, on behalf of the Vietnamese Party andState, Tong Thi Phong presented the Gold Star Order to Lao Politburo and PrimeMinister Thongloun Sisoulith, the Ho Chi Minh Order to six members of the LaoParty Politburo, and the Independence Order, first class, to three secretariesof the Lao Party Central Committee, in recognition of their great contributionsto the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperationbetween Vietnam and Laos. -VNA
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