LAOS, VIETNAM FOREIGN MINISTRIES STRENGTHEN COOPERATION

June 10 (KPL) - Officials from the ministries of foreign affairs of Laos and Vietnam met on 6 June at the Fifth Plenary Friendship meeting in Vientiane Capital to review the results of cooperation between the two ministries over the last two years. The meeting took place during an official visit from June 4-7 by a high-ranking delegation from the Vietnamese ministry led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem. Mr Pham Gia Khiem's visit was in response to an invitation from his Lao counterpart, Dr Thongloun Sisoulith. Officials reviewed bilateral cooperation in the areas of personnel building, training, technical assistance and information exchange. Department officials from both ministries discussed various topics and defined their vision for important outstanding domestic and international issues of mutual interest. They also discussed the ministries' 2008-2010 cooperation plan. The Vietnamese said awarded Friendship Medals to the ASEAN Department and the Asia-Pacific and Africa Department as well as to the two deputy ministers of foreign affairs, Mr Phongsavath Boupha and Mr Bounkeuth Sangsomsak and former Lao ambassador to Vietnam Bounthong Senkhammy. Both sides signed the fifth memorandum of understanding on friendly relations. Mr Pham Gia Khiem and his delegation also paid a courtesy visit to President Choummaly Sayasone at the President Palace and to Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh at the Prime Minister's Office.