At the talks between Chairwoman of Vietnam’s National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and her Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou

Ngan shared her sympathy to the Lao Party, State and people over the human and property losses caused by recent floods in six central and southern Lao provinces.

She said some Vietnamese representative offices in Laos as well as the Vietnamese community in Laos, Vietnamese localities, ministries and departments have been raising funds to support Lao people.

Vietnam is willing to support Laos to address flood consequences, Ngan said, hoping that Lao people in the affected areas will soon overcome difficulties to resume production and daily life.

While exchanging about cooperation between the two countries, Pany Yathotou said the exchange of all-level delegations is significant to address issues that need close coordination, especially in the economy.

She suggested the two nations supplement some agreements to make it legally easier for bilateral cooperation in key fields such as transport, telecom, electricity, and trade as well as the implementation of several Vietnamese investment projects in Laos.

During the talks, the two sides highly appreciated the cooperation between legislative bodies, saying many agreements reached during the visit to Vietnam by the Lao top legislator in March 2019 have been implemented and reaped specific outcomes.

For example, the Vietnamese and Lao parliaments have urged the governments to deal with proposals of the two committees for external relations on free migration and undocumented marriage in the two countries’ shared border areas.

Pany Yathotou hoped the two parliaments would continue directing ministries and localities to settle the remaining cases before the agreement expires in this November.

Since the beginning of this year, the two sides have held a number of workshops and delegation exchanges to share professional information and experience.

Vietnam and Laos agreed to increase experience sharing and delegation exchanges at all levels while strengthening coordination to supervise the implementation of the signed agreements, contributing to promoting trade and investment cooperation.

They agreed to boost cooperation between the two national assemblies and people’s councils at the provincial level.

Chairwoman Ngan thanked Laos for supporting Vietnam to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021, and hoped Laos would continue supporting Vietnam in this position as well as the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2020.

She hoped Laos to strengthen coordination with Vietnam at regional and international parliamentary forums such as AIPA, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the ASEAN People Forum (APF), and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF).

While discussing the East Sea issue, the two leaders agreed with the viewpoint of maintaining and protecting peace, stability, cooperation and development in the East Sea as well as settling disputes in the East Sea via peaceful means, in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and joining ASEAN countries to accelerate the building of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) for common benefits in the region and the global peace and stability.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (L) and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith

During a meeting with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith the same day, Ngan has affirmed Vietnam’s full support for Laos’ reform process.

The top legislator offered sympathy to Laos over the human and asset losses caused by flooding in the six central and southern Lao provinces recently, and expressed her hope that people in the flood-hit provinces will overcome difficulties and restore production and normal life soon.

Ngan said during her visit at the invitation of Lao National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathotou, the two top legislators will co-chair a seminar on laws and policies on vocational training and job creation, and coordination in handling citizens’ complaints and denunciations. She expressed her hope that experiences shared at the seminar will be helpful to the two legislatures and governments.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Party and State leaders, NA Chairwoman Ngan will also present titles to units and individuals of the Lao NA in recognition of their contributions to ties between the two legislatures. She and her entourage will also visit and inspect the construction progress of the Lao NA House, a gift from Vietnam to Laos.

PM Sisoulith, for his part, said the visit of the Vietnamese NA leader will help promote ties between the two parliaments.

He affirmed that the Lao government will strive to deal with difficulties and step up the construction of the Lao NA House.

The two leaders expressed determination to implement joint statements and cooperation agreements signed by the two nations.

They noted that Vietnam remains the third largest investor in Laos with 409 projects worth 4.1 billion USD, but the flow of Vietnamese capital in Laos has shown signs of slowing down. In addition, the implementation pace of key projects and cooperation programmes remains slow.

The host said during his upcoming Vietnam visit, he will discuss ways to remove obstacles in order to accelerate signed agreements and enhance bilateral investment. He wished that leaders of the two NAs will continue supporting Laos and Vietnamese governments in carrying out signed major projects.

The Vietnamese legislative leader suggested that both sides should co-organise a conference reviewing the one-stop shop model at Lao Bao – Den Savan border gate and celebrations for the 70th anniversary of traditional day of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts helping Laos (October 30).

On the occasion, Sisoulith vowed to continue working closely with Vietnam when the country assumes the Chair of ASEAN and Chair of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in 2020./.

Lao Ambassador awarded with Vietnam’s friendship medal   President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations - Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga (R) presents the medal " “For Peace and Friendship among Nations” to Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Thongsavanh Phomvihane     The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) presented the medal “For Peace and Friendship among Nations” to Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Thongsavanh Phomvihane at a ceremony in Hanoi on September 26 on the occasion of his ending tenure in Vietnam. President of the VUFO - Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga said the medal aims to honour the the Lao Ambassador’s remarkable contributions to promoting the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries’ people. During his tenure in Vietnam, the relations between Vietnam and Laos have been reinforced and developed. The two sides have successfully co-organised the Vietnam-Laos and Laos-Vietnam friendship and solidarity year 2017, Nga said. The political ties have been strengthened through regular visits and exchanges between the two countries’ senior officials. The bilateral cooperation has been furthered deepened in all fields from trade, economy, culture, education, defence, and security. Particularly, the people-to-people exchanges have been promoted with numerous meaningful activities such as the organisation of the fourth Vietnam-Laos friendship festival in Laos, and the publication of a bilingual book titled “Chung day Truong Son” (Sharing Truong Son range). Thongsavanh Phomvihane expressed his pleasure to receive the noble award of the VUFO, and said during his tenure in Vietnam, he witnessed the breakthrough accomplishments of Vietnam as well as of the two countries’ relations in all fields. He pledged to continue to work to reinforce and develop the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples in any position./.VNA