Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumsay Kommasith grants an interview to Vietna News Agency (Photo: VNA) The Lao Deputy PM noted that this will be the firstvisit to Laos by PM Chinh since he took office, during which the Vietnamese leader will attend the45th meeting of the Laos-Vietnam Inter-Governmental Committee and aceremony to summarise the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Friendship and SolidarityYear 2022.
The activities have an important meaning tothe Laos-Vietnam cooperative relations, and reaffirm the Party, State’s consistent policy towards Laos, he said.
He said that during the visit, PM Chinh willhold talks with his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone and meet with topleaders of Laos. This will provide a great opportunity for the two sides to seek ways tofurther foster their cooperation as well as solutions to deal with emergingproblems and challenges in each country, the region and the world, he said.
Saleumsay said he believes that the visitwill contribute to further strengthening the great friendship, specialsolidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States andpeoples, especially amid the unpredictable changes and challenges in the worldcurrently.
Regarding the major contents of the 45th meeting of the Laos-VietnamInter-Governmental Committee, the Lao Deputy PM said that it will focus onevaluating the implementation of bilateral cooperation plans over the years.
They will also identify existing problems in bilateral cooperation, aswell as risks that the two countries are facing, thus seeking solutionstogether and further bolstering their economic and trade partnership, making iton a par with the sound bilateral political relations.
Looking back at 2022, Saleumsay said that it was an important year for the twocountries, as many activities were jointly organised to mark the 60th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations (September 5, 1962-2022) and45 years of the bilateral Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (July 18, 1977-2022).
During the year, the two sides exchanged manyvisits at all levels, with a total of 115 delegationsfrom the two sides, which manifested the close relations of leaders and peopleof the two countries, he said.
Besides, many activities were held from the central to local levels with theengagement of both public and private sectors, including the publishing of manyimportant documents on the special relationship between the two countries, andmany cultural activities. Those activities showed the warm sentiments of Vietnamese and Laopeople towards each other, while educating the youth on the history of thebilateral relations as well as the great friendship, special solidarity andcomprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos both in the past and present,said the Lao official.
He said that during the visit, the two PMswill review all the activities and draw lessons so as to better organise suchevents in the future.
PM Chinh and a high-ranking Vietnamesedelegation will pay an official visit to Laos from January 11-12 at theinvitation of Lao PM Sonexay Siphandone./.
VNA
