The Party, State and people of Vietnam always give highest priority to consolidating and enhancing the time-honoured friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos, President Tran Dai Quang told visiting Vice Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Somphan Phengkhammy on August 15.

Vietnam considers the relationship an invaluable asset and a factor vital to the revolutionary causes of the two countries, the President noted.

He congratulated Laos on its outstanding assumption of the ASEAN Chair 2016, helping raise the country’s role and position in the world arena.

He also appreciated legislative achievements the neighbouring country has recorded over the recent past, including its ratification of the amended Constitution last December, which, he said, have contributed to consolidating the country’s legal system and spurring local socio-economic development.

Noting with pleasure fruitful cooperation between the two countries across fields, President Tran Dai Quang said such attainments are attributable to contributions of their legislative bodies.

He suggested the two agencies partner with each other to organise the two countries’ major events in the coming time, including the celebration of the 55th anniversary of the diplomatic ties (September 5).

At the same time, they should continue to join hands in the implementation of high-ranking cooperation agreements reached by the two countries, especially those sealed at the 38th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee in December last year, while increasing the exchange of experience, particularly in building institutions and laws, and supervising law enforcement, he said.

For his part, Somphan Phengkhammy reassured that the Lao NA will make every effort to mark the 40 years of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Amity and Cooperation Treaty (July 18) and the 55th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations, in a bid to help the two countries’ young generations understand more about the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

The Lao legislator told his host that his visit aims to learn from experience in organisation and operation of Vietnamese People’s Councils at the city and provincial levels through pragmatic activities in the central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An.

Lao NA Vice Chairman reiterates cooperation with Vietnam

The National Assemblies (NA) of Vietnam and Laos are hoped to increase cooperation and experience exchanges in order to make their ties on par with those between the two countries’ Parties, States and people.

Lao NA Vice Chairman Somphan Phengkhammy expressed the wish at a meeting with NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in Hanoi on August 15.

The guest said his ongoing visit to Vietnam aims to study the position, role, functions and power of the provincial and municipal People’s Councils, adding that the Lao delegation is scheduled to visit the central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An and Ho Chi Minh City in the south.

He said the Lao NA hopes to coordinate with Vietnam in organising a workshop sharing experience in public debt management and supervision.

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan congratulated Laos on the successful 10th Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP), and the elections of deputies to the 13th NA and the People’s Councils at provincial and municipal levels.

She said Laos is performing well as Chair of ASEAN 2016, which will help the country increase its position in the international arena.

She expressed her belief that the Lao NA will continue making significant contributions to the implementation of the Resolution adopted at the 10th Party Congress and the 8th five-year socio-economic development plan.

The NA Chairwoman hailed Laos’ legislative achievements, including the approval of the revised Constitution that helped reinforce the legal system of the Lao State.

She affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, State and people give the highest priority to cementing and enhancing the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos.

She highly valued the outcomes of the talks between NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu and his Lao counterpart, saying the two countries will jointly host a workshop to share experience between Vietnamese and Lao parliaments in next October and a ceremony to inaugurate the Vietnam – Laos historical site in the northern province of Son La to mark the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and 40th anniversary of signing the Vietnam – Lao Amity and Cooperation Treaty.

The top Vietnamese legislator also suggested the two NAs coordinate in supervising the implementation of high-level agreements and commitments, and their bodies promote experience exchanges.

VNA