Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung suggested key measures to expand the development triangle cooperation area at the eighth Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Development Triangle Summit taking place in Vientiane, Laos on November 25.

The three PMs.

The conference is of great significance for expanding the development triangle cooperation and promoting the affiliation between the three countries in trade, investment, tourism, rubber industry, security, defence and the environment as a contribution to peace, stability and prosperity of the Mekong Sub-region as well as the process of building a united ASEAN Community in 2015.

The biennial summit gives the three government leaders a chance to review the implementation of the Master plan for socio-economic development of the CLV Development Triangle Area until 2020 and the memorandum of understanding on special incentive policies for the Area.

CLV leaders appreciated the cooperation outcomes principally in the fields of infrastructure development; trade, investment, tourism, security, safety.

The Summit approved the initiatives put forth by the Vietnamese PM in upgrading and expanding the cooperative framework and assigning the CLV Joint Coordination Committee to build a project on economic connectivity among the three countries for submission at the next CLV Summit.

Other specific measures were adopted to improve cooperative efficiency by prioritizing projects in the Development Triangle Area, building tourism development plans, boosting security and diplomatic cooperation, particularly anti-human and drug trafficking, anti-transnational crime, response to infectious diseases and natural disaster, unexploded ordnance disposal, environmental protection and natural resources management.

In his speech, PM Dung applauded the effort of the Joint Coordination Committee in implementing the master plan for socio-economic development of the CLV Development Triangle Area until 2020 and the close coordination of the three countries in gearing up cooperation in the Area.

Dung proposed four cooperative directions: First, continuing to fine-tune an open legal corridor via preferential tax policies and improved investment procedures for enterprises especially in the areas of transport, mining, rubber and coffee planting and processing, electricity, telecommunication and tourism.

Second, fulfilling all the targets set in the master plan by 2020 and striving for a GDP growth rate of 10% per year and a GDP per capita of US$1,500-1,600 by 2015.

Third, giving heed to sustainable development with a focus on environmental protection, education and training, human resources development, social welfare in the Area; seeking long-term solutions for sustainable management and exploitation of natural resources; realizing projects on climate change, geology, water and land management, and human resources development; intensifying information sharing; ensuring security at border areas.

Fourth, making the best of resources from development partners such as Japan and the Republic of Korea and international organizations including the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

On the occasion, the three PMs signed a joint statement on the CLV Development Triangle Area cooperation and agreed to host the next summit in Cambodia in 2016.

VOV/VNN