Vientiane (VNA) – The Party, State and people of Vietnam will do their utmost, together with Laos, to preserve and deepen the special solidarity between the two countries, Dinh The Huynh, permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, affirmed. The official made the statement during his separate meetings with Lao Party General Secretary Bounnhang Volachith and President Chummaly Sayasone in Vientiane on April 11 as part of his three-day official visit to the neighbouring country. Huynh, who is a Politburo member, spoke highly of the outcomes of increased cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, which, he said, have contributed to national construction and defence in the respective countries. He conveyed Vietnam’s leaders’ greetings to their Lao counterparts on the occasion of Laos’ traditional Bunpimay New Year festival, and congratulated the Lao side on the achievements they have recorded over the past four decades, especially during 30 years of reform and five years of the implementation of the ninth National Party Congress’s Resolution. Such attainments will serve as a solid foundation for Laos to firmly advance on the path of national defence and development, and gear towards socialism, while actively contributing to consolidating and enhancing the two countries’ special solidarity, as well as maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large, he said. Vietnam believes that under the leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the country will reap greater fruits to become a nation of peace, independence, democracy, unification and prosperity, Huynh said. Congratulating Vietnam on its achievements in the past 30 years of reform and five years of the realisation of the 11 th National Party Congress’s Resolution, the Lao Party General Secretary and the President expressed their belief that the country will attain more significant achievements to soon become a modern industrialised nation. Laos always attaches importance to educating its young generations to preserve the special solidarity between the two countries, he stated. Earlier, the Vietnamese high-ranking officials held talks with their Lao counterparts, during which they agreed to increase the exchange of visits and meetings between the two countries’ leaders, and share experience in Party building, State management and organising workshops. The two sides will also tighten their coordination in national defence and security, foreign affairs, economy, trade, investment and education. They will instruct relevant ministries, agencies and localities to effectively actualise high-level agreements reached by the two Parties and other documents inked at the 38 th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation. The Lao side promised that apart from releasing water from their dams to help Vietnam cope with the severe drought and saltwater intrusion in its southern and Central Highlands regions, the country will provide 250,000 USD for victims of natural disaster in Vietnam.-VNA