Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, July 18 (VNA) -- The visit to Viet Nam, which began on July 18, by Lao Prime Minister Bounyang Vorachit is of important significance in preserving and boosting the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Laos.

Vorachit's visit, which took place right after the visit to Laos by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee, CPV CC, early this month, is his first overseas trip since he took office in March this year.

The Lao PM meet with his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Khai to discuss measures to implement high-level agreements reached by the two countries as well as ways to make economic cooperation between Viet Nam and Laos more effective and intensive. They also seek measures to further bilateral coordination in the process of regional and international integration.

Viet Nam and Laos always stood side by side and gave each other practical support in the past struggle for national independence. Today, the two peoples are bringing into full play the tradition of solidarity and cooperation to overcome difficulties and challenges in national construction and development.

Leaders of the two Parties and States have held regular meetings to define orientations for bilateral multi-form cooperation. In addition, the two countries's ministries, localities and mass organisations have exchanged hundreds of visits in recent years. Those visits helped expand Viet Nam-Laos special relations in all domains and among the people, particularly the young generations of the two countries.

During the recent visit to Laos by Vietnamese Party Chief Nong Duc Manh, both sides affirmed their determination to maintain and unceasingly promote the special friendship and loyal relations between the two Parties and States of Viet Nam and Laos. The two issued a Viet Nam-Laos Joint Communique, affirming their determination to boost bilateral economic-commercial, investment, transportation, energy, scientific-technological, environmental, education-training cooperation on a long-term basis.

Viet Nam and Laos have so far signed more than 20 agreements and treaties, creating a favourable legal corridor for multi-form cooperation between the two sides.

Recent years saw increasing trade ties between the two countries with two-way trade value amounting to USD 300 million in 1999 from USD 200 million in 1998 and USD 73 million in 1992.

Vietnamese businesses are running four supermarkets in Laos's Khammouane, Bolikhamsay, Champassak and Vientiane provinces. The recent opening of the Viet Nam-Laos Joint Venture Bank in Vientiane and Ha Noi has helped facilitate the operation of Vietnamese and Lao businesses in the other country.
More than 50 Vietnamese businesses are operating in Laos in various domains, including construction materials, chemicals, medicine, cultivation and consumer goods production.

With a common borderline of more than 2,000km, Viet Nam and Laos have cooperated in building road networks linking the two countries and opened international border-gates to facilitate bilateral and sub-regional cooperation.

Being members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Viet Nam and Laos have closely coordinated their activities at regional and international forums.

During the 23rd session of the Viet Nam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee for Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation in Ha Noi last February, both sides agreed to diversify cooperation between the two Governments. They mapped out orientations and targets for bilateral cooperation in education-training, agriculture, irrigation, transport, post and telecommunications, industry, tourism, public health, commerce and investment for 2001, and the 2001-2005 and 2005-2010 periods.--VNA