viet lao 17 jul 02
Vietnam,
Laos should further promote solidarity:
vice president
Vietnam and Laos should further promote their solidarity and enhance mutual assistance to surmount difficulties and challenges in national construction and development, said Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh.
The vice president was speaking at a meeting with her Lao counterpart Choummaly Saiyasone in Hanoi on July 16.
Lao Vice President Choummaly Saiyasone arrived in Hanoi on July 16 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties and the 25th anniversary of their Friendship and Co-operation Treaty.
Vice President Binh told her guest that many activities had been organised lately to celebrate this remarkable occasion and educate younger generations about the traditional friendly relations between the two counties.
She said the presence of the Lao delegation at the ceremony was a symbol of the special friendship that the two countries have treasured over the recent decades.
She congratulated Laos on the many nation-building and development achievements it has gained under the leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.
On his part, the Lao vice president said that the two countries should discuss measures to increase the efficiency of economic co-operation to make it commensurate with their political ties, thus meeting the two peoples' aspirations.
He said that he had noticed the speedy development obtained by the Vietnamese people in each of his visits to the country.
Later, Vice President Binh hosted a banquet in honour of the Lao vice president.
Vietnam-Laos border friendship festival held
Vietnam-Laos Border People's Friendship Festival started on July 16 in Hanoi and Nghe An and Quang Ninh provinces.
About 50 delegates from localities in Laos sharing a common borderline with Vietnam have joined about 60 representatives of Vietnam's servicemen, war veterans, farmers, workers, intellectuals and other mass organisations in the festival.
Addressing the event, Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Secretariat, Phan Dien affirmed that the special friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Laos is the inestimable property consolidated continuously by the two countries' Parties, States and peoples for the unshakeable target.
He stressed the important contributions made by people in the border areas of the two countries to promoting the relations.
The Lao delegation, led by Phummason Luongkhamma, minister of Education and Training and president of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association, was received in Hanoi on July 16 by Vietnam's Defence Ministry.
The Lao delegation was also received at Cau Treo border gate, Vietnam's central Ha Tinh province, on July 14 by Do Van Tai, chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly's Committee for External Relations and vice president of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association and leading officials of Ha Tinh and Nghe An provinces.
This is the first friendship festival organised by Vietnam with a neighbouring country. It will last until July 19.
* On this occasion, a photo exhibition entitled 'Twenty-five Years of Vietnam-Laos Comprehensive Co-operation' was opened in Hanoi on July 16.
The exhibition is in celebration of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties (September 5) and the 25th anniversary (July 18) of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Co-operation Treaty.
Over 100 black-and-white photos feature friendship and co-operation activities in culture, education, science, technology and socio-economic development between the two countries over the past 25 years.
The culture, people and land of Laos are also introduced at the exhibition. (VNA)
HIGH-RANKING PARTY DELEGATION ON
VIETNAM VISIT
VIENTIANE, JULY 17 (KPL) A high ranking delegation of Lao
People's revolutionary Party led by Vice President Choummaly Sayasone left here
yesterday morning, July 16 for a short working visit to Vietnam until July 19.
The visit is being made at the invitation of the Party and State of Vietnam. The
delegation will also take part in the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the
two countries' diplomatic ties and the 25th anniversary of their Friendship and
Cooperation Treaty.
An official farewell ceremony was held at the Presidential Palace in Vientiane
and was attended by a number of Politburo and Party Central Committee members
including Dr Thongloun Sisoulith, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the
Committee for Planning and Co-operation