Vietnam, Laos NAs promote cooperation

The National Assemblies (NAs) of Vietnam and Laos opened a conference in the northern province of Son La on April 23 to discuss boosting mutual cooperation, solidarity and friendship.

NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and Lao NA Chairwoman Pany Yathotou. (Source: VNA)
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung welcomed his Lao counterpart, Pany Yathotu, and her entourage to the conference and conveyed his best wishes to the Lao people on their Bunpimay festival.

He emphasized the significance of this year’s conference, saying it marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and 35th anniversary of the signing of the Friendship and Co-operation Treaty.

Lao NA President Pany Yathotu said the event offers an opportunity for both nations to review the strong ties, friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, and peoples, which were founded by the late Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Cayson Phomvihan and nurtured by their successors.

She said that over the past decades Laos and Vietnam have joined hands to attain great achievements and feats of arms during their struggles for national independence, which makes their bilateral relationship an invaluable heritage.

We are proud to see that despite regional and international complications, the special friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam has developed substantially, for prosperity and happiness of the two nations, said Ms Yathotu.

The Lao Party, State and people will continue working together with Vietnam to foster their traditional relationship and special solidarity to make mutually beneficial and comprehensive cooperation more effective, Ms Yathotu stressed.

On behalf of the Lao Party, State and people, she expressed gratitude for Vietnam’s assistance to Laos during its revolutionary cause.

The Vietnamese people have always stood side by side with Laos, helping it to achieve victory over foreign imperialists and reap achievements on its path to socialism, she said.

At the plenary session after the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Lao counterpart Somsavad Lengsavad highlighted the effective bilateral cooperation between the two countries since they signed the 1977 Friendship and Co-operation Treaty.

They also proposed measures to fully tap their potential for mutual benefit, especially by raising awareness of their relationship and strengthening cooperation in all fields.

Vietnam, Ukraine exchange constitutional-making experience

A delegation from the National Assembly’s Institute for Legislative Studies led by Dinh Xuan Thao, Head of the institute, paid a working visit to Ukraine from April 18-20 to exchange constitutional-making experience.

The delegation held talks with I.Baulin, Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, other leaders and judges of the court together with experts and lecturers from the Law Department under Kiev National Taras Shevchenko University.

At the meeting, the two sides discussed professional and common issues of mutual concern, including the constitutional-making experience, constitution protection, the protection of constitutional rights of citizens, and the mechanisms of controlling and supervising the constitution.

The delegation also worked with the Institute of Legislation of the Ukrainian Parliament to exchange experience in formulating constitution and law as well as the study and support of parliamentary activities.

VN, Cambodian provinces strengthen relationship

The southern province of Vinh Long and the province of Banteay Meanchey in Cambodia have signed a cooperative agreement on socio-economic development from now until 2016.

The agreement was reached during a visit to Vinh Long province by Cambodian officials on Apr. 22-23, under which, both provinces will facilitate businesses’ exchange of information on trading activities. It will also help with the trade of agricultural products, develop tourist services, and share expertise in technology and education.

Vinh Long province will also help its local businesses to conduct market research in Cambodia and seek out partners operating in the fields of tourism, agricultural products trading such as corn, cassava and beans and offer consultancies on agricultural development.

Banteay Meanchey province will create the best possible conditions, including legal issues, access to land and adapt administrative procedures so businesses from Vinh Long can invest in the locality.

VNN/VOV/VNA