The Vietnamese Party, State and army always attach much importance to the relations with Laos, said Minister of National Defence Ngo Xuan Lich, who is visiting Laos from January 15-17.

Minister of National Defence Ngo Xuan Lich (L) and Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith.

In a meeting with Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith on January 16, Lich informed the host of bilateral defence cooperation in 2017, saying the two sides gained more-than-expected achievements, especially in communication work, training collaboration, delegation exchanges and border management.

The Lao leader, for his part, noted that the two countries have enjoyed special defence cooperation, affirming to direct the Lao Ministry of National Defence to effectively implement cooperation agreements with the Vietnamese side.

He also took the occasion to thank Vietnam for its support for Laos during the country’s past national liberation and current socio-economic development.

Earlier, Lich held talks with his Lao counterpart Chansamone Chanyalath on January 15.

At the event, he stressed that the Vietnamese military delegation’s visit to Laos is of great significance as it creates a new momentum to deepen relations between the two defence ministries.

Lich and Chansamone Chanyalath agreed that communication and education works carried out by the two ministries have raised awareness of officials, soldiers and people of the special traditional friendship between Vietnam and Laos. Meanwhile, cooperation between organisations in border areas was consolidated.

They affirmed that defence cooperation is billed as an important pillar in the bilateral relations. Bolstering coordination and surveillance of the implementation of the cooperation plan in 2018 and many other agreements will be focused as part of efforts to consolidate trust and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, Governments, armies and people.

The two ministers fficials reached consensus on enhancing exchange of experience and information to prevent and vanquish conspiracies of hostile forces while paying due attention to exchanges at provincial level.

After the talks, they inked defence a cooperation plan between the two defence ministries for 2018.-VNA