Laos leader`s visit lifts bilateral ties

Hanoi (VNA) - The current visit to Vietnam by Laos Party General Secretary and
State President, Choummaly Sayasone, will create the momentum to lift the
traditional Vietnam-Laos friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation to a
new height.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet said this during his meeting with the Laos
leader in the capital city of Hanoi on April 24.

President Triet congratulated the Laos people on the great achievements they have
made during the past 20 years of renewal, describing them as an encouragement to
Vietnam 's national construction and defence process.

The Vietnamese leader said that he believed the Laos people will achieve even more
during their renewal process, successfully implement their eight National Party
Congress's Resolution, and lift their nation from its underdeveloped status, thus
creating a firm foundation for the country's industrialisation and modernisation.


For his part, Party General Secretary and President Choummaly Sayasone expressed
his deep gratitude to the party, state and people of Vietnam for their
valuable and assistance over the past few decades.

The Laos leader praised the results both countries had attained in bilateral
cooperation in recent years, adding that the party, state and people of Laos
will join their Vietnamese counterparts to strengthen and develop both countries'
traditional friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

Both host and guest reiterated their countries' consistent policy of preserving
and expanding their relationship that was first nurtured by the late Presidents Ho
Chi Minh and Kaysone Phomvihane as well as the younger generations of Vietnamese
and Lao leaders and both peoples.

On the afternoon of April 24, the Laos leader and his delegation left Hanoi
for Ho Chi Minh City . Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh and a number of
senior Party and State officials accompanied them to Noi Bai airport to wish them
farewell.

The Vietnamese Party chief spoke highly of the visit and stressed that
strengthening relations with Laos tops Vietnam 's list of priorities in its
foreign policy.

Party General Secretary and President Choummaly Sayasone made it clear that Laos
will do its best to elevate bilateral ties to a new level for the prosperity of
both countries and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region
and the world at large.-Enditem